Moving Forward, Looking Backward
by Chameleon777
Summary: The sequel to 'The Distances We All Go.'
1. Random Acts of - December 5, 2005

_**December 5**_

 _ **Las Vegas Crime Lab – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Ignoring the icy glare he was getting from Catherine, Ecklie offered a diplomatic smile to Ryan as he walked into the Crime Lab with her, "Officer Wolfe," Ecklie said nervously. "Welcome to our lab."

Ryan sighed, ignoring the twinges in his arm as he stood there not wanting to shake Ecklie's hand after being forced to stay in Vegas against his will, "I was told I had a right to see the evidence in my case when I was strong enough," he said in a tense, slightly hoarse voice. "I'm invoking that right today."

"Grissom said he'd be waiting in his office for us," Catherine said, hoping to calm Ryan down.

Ryan nodded, choosing to ignore Ecklie rather than get even angrier, "Gil, I believe, is in his office with your evidence," Ecklie said nervously. "Maybe you could convince Stokes to call off his lawsuit."

"Lawsuit?" Catherine asked in a surprised voice, her eyes wide. "Nick's suing the Crime Lab?"

Ecklie scowled, "Only certain people within the LVPD and he's accusing us of unlawfully imprisoning Ryan Wolfe in the state of Nevada," he hissed. "Stokes's daddy is a federal judge and he's…"

"For the record, I still can't remember anything about what happened," Ryan replied coldly. "Happy?"

Catherine sighed, "And there are random times where I experience insomnia, nausea, and fits of anger so severe that I have to walk up and down the block ten times so I don't hit anyone or break anything," Ryan snapped, his irritation growing. "I think it's withdrawals, but I don't really know what to think."

Grissom, who had come when he heard voices, frowned when he saw Ryan looking ready to bite Ecklie's head off while Catherine looked worried, "To be very, very honest with you, Ryan, I don't know if you'll ever get any of those memories back simply because of what was in your blood when you were found," he explained in a calm, but serious voice. "You may also have random periods of shaky emotions."

Ryan frowned, "Conrad, if you're done fighting with our guest, I'd like to take him to my office and shed some light on what happened to him," Grissom said firmly. "Ryan, are you up to seeing the evidence?"

"I spent the last four days in bed eating soup and sleeping, so I'm okay enough to do this," Ryan replied.

Grissom nodded and led Ryan and Catherine through the hallways into his office where Greg was waiting with a box filled with stuff and Nick was seated in the back of the room, "Are you really suing people, Nicky?" Catherine asked in a surprised voice. "I know you're angry about Ryan's…"

"My dad's reviewing the situation and should have a decision by next week at the latest," Nick replied, eyeing Ryan worriedly as he sat down. "Ryan, you're super pale. Are you okay to do this today?"

Ryan sighed, silently reminding himself that Nick did care about him, "Yes," he replied quietly.

Grissom silently sat behind his desk and handed Ryan the folder containing the evidence notes and bloodwork results, "You were drugged with chloroform, sodium pentothal, and roofies and that's what's affected your memory of the torture," he explained calmly. "It was done repeatedly and while all of it was eventually flushed from your system, your memories of what happened may be gone forever."

Nick's eyes widened in shock, but Ryan silently flipped through the papers as if he were reading a book that was written in another language, "None of this rings a bell," Ryan spoke apologetically.

Sighing softly, Ryan set the folder on the desk and sifted through the evidence bags that were in the box, unable to remember any of it even though he wanted to, "You were dumped at a casino in the confines of a mail bag according to Sam Braun, owner of several casinos around here," Grissom explained in a calm voice, not at all bothered that Ryan wasn't reacting to the evidence. "Your blood and DNA were also found on a plane that was on a private strip at the airport and is identified as being from Miami."

"I was flown here?" Ryan asked quietly, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Do you know who did it?"

Catherine and Grissom exchanged a look and Greg looked uneasy, "Special Agent Dennis Sackheim seems to have orchestrated all of this because you tried to help Lindsey and other missing children," Catherine spoke in an anxious, apologetic voice as tears filled her eyes. "Rick's so upset about it…"

Ryan nodded, but suddenly began to look tired, "Ryan, why don't you have a rest on the couch in here while Catherine works and she'll drive you back to her house when she's done?" Grissom suggested.

The office quickly cleared out and Ryan retreated to the couch, sighing wearily as he lay down on the couch to rest because he still tired quickly. While Nick, Catherine, and Greg went to work, Grissom went to the front desk and saw that Sara was waiting for him with a tired, but happy expression on her face.

* * *

 ** _Bed-Stuy, New York_**

"Chief, do you have a moment?" Bosco asked in a quiet voice as he slowly entered the precinct in civilian clothes and saw Chief Morris at the front desk with Ty going over the area's gang report. "I need to talk to you about somethin' and I know you said to never bug you when you were working on the gang…"

Chief Morris nodded, confused as to why Bosco was walking so slowly and why he wasn't dressed for work and out on the street, "What's on your mind, Boscorelli?" he asked in a calm, welcoming voice.

Bosco eyed Ty nervously before sighing and looking at his chief, "I need to go on desk duty or go on medical leave for a while, but it's your call what I do," he said in a quiet voice. "I'm serious."

Ty frowned and Chief Morris gave Bosco a look, "You know we have paternity leave if your babies need your full attention, Boscorelli," Chief Morris said in a concerned voice. "Have they had setbacks?"

"No, Mikey and Emily are doing great and John, David, and Ellie are all fine too," Bosco replied in an unusually somber voice as he sighed. "Um, I had a biopsy a few days ago and I've got cancer."

Ty paled, "Cancer?" Chief Morris replied in a shocked voice. "Wow, Boscorelli, I'm sorry."

"It's Stage 2 testicular and they already took both of em during the biopsy surgery, but I gotta do chemo for a few months," Bosco replied in a tired voice. "Danielle and Sully say I shouldn't be on the street while I'm doing chemo cause it'll be rough on my body, but they don't mind if I work at a desk."

Chief Morris sighed gently, "I'll see what I can do about getting you work to do at home or on the desk," he replied in a patient voice, hating that one of his officers was sick. "How'd you get over here?"

"I took the subway and walked," Bosco replied quietly. "I had a session yesterday and I'm a little tired, so I didn't want to get pulled over on suspicions of impaired driving. Sully offered to drive me, but…"

Chief Morris swore, "Why in the world didn't you let him?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Sit down."

Bosco sighed softly, but sat down on a nearby bench, "I can drive him home after we go over these reports," Davis offered, shaken by Bosco's news. "I gotta go by his place to visit Brendan anyway."

"Good," Chief Morris replied sternly, giving Bosco a look. "Call me next week about desk duty, but I don't wanna hear from you until then because I want you home resting. You look like crap, Bosco."

Ty watched as Bosco got up and slipped outside looking like he was going to be sick. He silently followed Bosco outside and frowned when he saw Bosco bent over a garbage can, puking his guts out.

"You all right, Bosco?" Ty asked even though he knew Bosco was probably puking from chemotherapy.

As Bosco puked, Ty looked around and frowned when he saw a pile of FDNY people watching Bosco puke from across the street, "Hey!" Ty snapped as he crossed over to the station. "This isn't a show!"

"Is that Bosco puking his guts over there?" Stu asked in a confused voice. "Too much to drink last night?"

Murmuring filled the air and Ty scowled, "Just shut up, all of you," he snapped. "That isn't funny."

There was a silence as Jimmy came down the street with Camille in a stroller, both of them wearing winter weather clothes, "Hey, what's going on?" Jimmy asked in a confused voice. "Davis?"

Shaking his head, Davis silently crossed the street again, "Just ignore them," he said softly. "You okay?"

Bosco scoffed, "I have cancer, Davis, what do you think?" he asked in a gruff voice. "I'm good…"

"Sully will kill me if I don't drive you home, Bosco," Davis replied calmly. "Please?"

Bosco thought for a moment and sighed, nodding as he followed Davis down the street to Davis's vehicle. Both men were unaware that John Miller, who had been hiding around New York, had overheard their conversation from an alleyway and was now putting in a phone call.

* * *

 _ **New York University**_

"John, do you have a moment?" Juliana Morrison asked as she came over to the table where John was working through a chunk of homework. "I, uh, was told you found another advisor for next semester."

John frowned as he looked up at her, "Ms. Morrison, I really can't talk right know because I'm quite busy with work," he replied politely, not wanting to say that his mother had forbid him from talking to her.

Scoffing, Juliana nodded stiffly and walked away, pausing when she saw Lindsey come through the library towards where John was sitting. Figuring that John was a liar like his mother, Juliana paused.

"Are you ready to go?" Lindsay asked in a kind voice. "You'll be doing a dummy crime scene today."

John looked surprised, "Do you think I'm ready to try that?" he asked in a nervous voice. "I…"

"Mac and Danny think so," Lindsay replied in a reassuring voice. "Flack will be there too."

Lindsay smiled as John packed his bag, got up, and left with her; they failed to see a shocked looking Juliana hiding behind a wall. She had heard everything and was both shocked and disgusted.

Outside, Lindsay and John walked across campus and John froze when he saw an unfamiliar woman pushing Brendan, who was sitting in a wheelchair in winter clothes with casts on his ankles and a bag in his lap, while Grace walked alongside him, "Sergeant Finney," John called out. "Aunt Grace."

"Oh, hi there, John," Brendan said calmly as John and Lindsay approached. "What are you…?"

John smiled, "I'm here getting a Criminalistics/CSI degree," he replied. "What about you?"

"I only have a semester or so left of my Master's degree in Criminal Justice, so I came to see what I needed to do to finish it since I'm on disability indefinitely," Brendan replied in a kind, but quiet voice as he smiled at John and noticed Lindsay. "She's good looking John, but isn't she a little old for you?"

Lindsay chuckled, "I'm Lindsay Monroe with the Crime Lab and John's doing a co-op with the lab that's being sponsored by NYU," she explained in an amused voice. "His parents don't like him walking around the city alone, so Detective Taylor sent me over to come get him and take him to the Crime Lab."

"Wow, way to go," Brendan said in a pleased voice. "I hope our baby turns out as good as you did."

Grace smiled as Lindsay and John left. "Our baby will," she replied in a kind, reassuring voice.

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho**_

"…Ryan went to the Crime Lab with Catherine to see his evidence and Stetler took his kid somewhere, so I'm here by myself resting," Warrick heard a voice say as he walked down an alley past an open kitchen door and a filled dumpster in an effort to perhaps find information about Derek Stokes or Sackheim.

There was a sigh, "As much as I would love to talk to you, Timothy, I have to get this trash outside," Warrick heard a kind voice say. "You have a nice chat with Emily. I love you, son; see you later."

Warrick paused and frowned as Anthony came out lugging two big bags of garbage, "Excuse me, sir, my name is Warrick Brown," he said in a kind voice. "Can I help you with those bags? They look heavy."

Anthony gave Warrick a look as he tossed the bags in the dumpster, "Oh no, young man, I'm all right," he replied in a kind voice, eyeing Warrick with concern. "Are you in need of some shelter or food?"

"I'm investigating some criminals," Warrick replied quietly. "They hurt a friend of mine."

Anthony nodded, his expression sympathetic, "I have information on who was involved and from what I know, they're here," Warrick explained quietly, showing his satchel. "I have to keep it quiet."

"You know who hurt young Ryan?" Anthony asked softly. "Did you want to talk to his sister?"

Warrick frowned, "Ryan Wolfe's sister is here?" he asked quietly. "I would like to talk to her, yeah."

"Please come in," Anthony said in an anxious voice. "Emily will appreciate your help."

Nodding, Warrick silently went inside to wait for Emily so that he could talk to her about Ryan.

* * *

 _ **Desert Palms Hospital – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Is that our baby?" Sara asked in an intrigued voice as she pointed to the ultrasound screen while resting on an exam bed in the massive hospital while Grissom sat on a stool beside the bed. "How far along?"

The OB/GYN and nurse peered at the screen, "They both look healthy," Dr. Parker said in a warm voice, her green eyes shining as she looked at Sara's chart. "I would say you're about three months or so…"

"Both of them?" Sara asked in a confused voice, wondering if her hearing had somehow been messy.

Dr. Parker nodded as she got her penlight out, "There," she said, pointing to the screen. "And there."

Grissom's eyes grew as he silently stared at the lives he had helped create, "They're amazing," he said softly, taking Sara's hand in his own. "Nothing is more beautiful than something you help create."

Sara smiled and squeezed his hand just as Grissom's phone rang, "You should take that," she said softly.

Nodding, Grissom reluctantly let go of Sara's hand and went into the hallway to take the call, " _Grissom, it's Brass_ ," a voice on the other end said. " _I got you booked on a flight to New York this evening_."

"I'll probably just be a couple of days," Grissom replied anxiously. "Is Ecklie mad over it?"

Brass sighed, " _Ecklie is on his best behavior right now because Stokes reports all negative behavior to his father in conjunction with the federal investigation and lawsuit_ ," he replied in an amused voice.

Grissom chuckled, "Thanks for arranging things on the down low," he replied in a worried voice.

Quickly ending the call, Grissom passed by Dr. Parker as he went back into the room and saw Sara redressing, "Gil, do you think I could come with you?" Sara asked quietly. "To New York?"

Grissom looked both surprised and confused, "I'd like to help if I can," Sara explained quietly.

"I'm sure the Boscorellis will appreciate all the help they can get," Grissom replied calmly, secretly relieved that Sara was coming to be there for him and to help the situation. "Thank you."

Nodding, Sara walked over to him and gently stroked his cheek before giving him a gentle kiss.

* * *

 _ **Bed-Stuy, New York**_

"Kim, what's up with Bosco?" Jimmy asked as he entered their house and got Camille out of the stroller before putting it and their winter gear back in the closet. "Do you know if Bosco's sick or something?"

Sighing gently, Kim came down the stairs with a basket of laundry, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I walked by the firehouse with Camille and all the guys were saying that Bosco was puking his guts out in the can outside the precinct because he had too much to drink last night," Jimmy said in a concerned voice, giving Kim a look. "As far as I know, Bosco hasn't had anything to drink since he was shot…"

Kim frowned and quickly put the laundry into the washing machine before taking Camille and going into the kitchen, "Davis was with him, but I thought Davis worked in Manhattan," Jimmy continued.

"Did you enjoy your walk, Camie?" Kim asked softly, kissing Camille on the face as she put the girl into a playpen that sat in the open area between the living room and kitchen. "I'll phone Danielle, I guess."

Jimmy nodded and watched as Kim got on the phone and dialled Danielle and Bosco's number.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

The sound of the ringing phone filled Bosco's ears as he let himself and Ty into the apartment, "I'm just gonna let it ring," Bosco said in a tired voice, quickly getting his coat and shoes off. "You can go."

"Nobody seems to be home," Ty replied as he got his coat off. "You shouldn't be alone."

Bosco scoffed, but didn't argue as he curled up on the couch and closed his eyes, "Headache and nausea," he managed to say before he grabbed a blanket off the couch and covered himself.

Ty wandered into the kitchen, "Danielle left a note saying that she took Mikey and Emily out for a walk and Yelina went with her," he said, eyeing a note from Danielle on the whiteboard that was on the wall next to the fridge. "Sully left a note that he went to wait at David and Ellie's school for them."

Bosco sighed as he rested his head on a pillow that he kept on the couch for sick days, "Have you actually told any of your friends that you're sick, Bosco?" Ty asked worriedly. "You should."

"I'm keeping you from your work, Davis," Bosco replied in a tired voice. "I'm going to have a nap."

Ty sighed, but instead of leaving, he looked around at the messy kitchen and sink filled with dirty dishes and knew that he should help because it was the right thing to do. Quickly radioing in that he was taking a meal break, Ty got his winter gear off, rolled up the sleeves of his uniform, and began to do the dishes.

Bosco frowned as he heard the clattering, but he was too tired to ask Ty to stop and he instead chose to relax himself into a sleep. Chemo was rougher than he had expected and he needed the rest badly.

As Ty worked, keys jingled outside and the door opened, "Davis, what are you doing?" Sully asked in a confused voice as he came into the apartment with Davis and Ellie and saw that Ty was doing dishes in his uniform while Bosco slept on the couch. "Did you run into Bosco down at the precinct?"

"I thought I'd help out a bit, Sul," Ty replied, drying his hands on a towel. "I was there when he told Chief Morris about his cancer, so I offered to drive him home. Why'd he take the subway and his feet?"

Sully looked annoyed, "Because Bosco is a stubborn brat," he replied firmly. "David, Ellie…"

"I know, Grandpa," David said quietly. "Do homework at the table and be quiet so Dad can sleep."

Ellie, however, took her winter gear off and crept over to the couch, "Daddy?" she asked quietly.

Bosco's eyes fluttered open and he smiled at Ellie, "Hey there, my Ellie," he replied quietly.

"Daddy, how come you're not in bed?" Ellie asked quietly. "You had your special medicine."

Bosco sighed softly as he slowly sat up, "Because Daddy doesn't like being so far away from everyone," he replied, gently pulling her on to his lap and holding her close. "How was school today, you two?"

"David got called to Mrs. Davis's office," Ellie said quietly. "I heard it over the intercom."

Bosco's eyes widened and David sighed, "I'm having trouble keeping up in gym," David spoke quietly. "The teacher makes us go outside once a week and it's really cold, so it's hard for me to run."

"You shouldn't even be running outside right now with your asthma," Bosco replied firmly.

David sighed, dumped his winter stuff in the boot area, and joined Bosco and Ellie on the couch, "I'll put your stuff away just this once," Sully spoke firmly. "But you know how to hang up your stuff, David."

"Tomorrow, I'll walk you guys to school and I'll talk to Mrs. Davis about getting you into an alternate gym program," Bosco said, holding David close to him. "I know you wanna run around outside, but that's not good for your asthma and I want you to be safe at school. Now, you and Ellie go do homework."

Nodding, David and Ellie got off the couch and went over to the table with their backpacks, "Yelina and Danielle took Michael and Emily shopping with them," Ty spoke up calmly. "Danielle left a note."

"Maybe after supper tonight, we'll get the tree and decorations out and decorate the apartment," Bosco spoke in a tired voice, watching as Davis got his gear back on. "Thanks for the ride home, Davis."

Ty nodded and motioned for Sully to walk him out, which he did, "Um, Bosco threw up outside his precinct today and some of the firehouse people over there were making fun of him, saying he had too much to drink last night," Ty said nervously as they lingered in the hallway. "I told them to stop…"

Sully sighed, "You can tell people if you want, Davis," he replied quietly. "Bosco's scared about it."

Ty sighed, but silently left and Sully went back into the apartment, sighing when he saw David and Ellie at the kitchen table doing schoolwork and heard retching coming from the bathroom, "I'll make some tea and soup for your dad," he said in a calm voice, determined to keep things as normal as possible.

* * *

 ** _New York Crime Lab_**

The break room was quiet, but John was grateful for it because it gave him a chance to feel sad about his father's cancer in private, whereas he had to put on an act in front of the other people at the lab because they expected him to be happy about his youthful intelligence. He had done well in the mock crime scene and had quietly excused himself from the mass of people who wanted to congratulate him simply because he didn't enjoy crowds. That, and thoughts of his sick father kept him quite somber.

As John sat near the window, silently helping himself to an afternoon nutria-bar, the door to the break room opened and Flack came in because he wanted coffee, but he froze when he saw John hiding in there, "Messer's singing your praises all around the lab, you know," Flack said in a kind voice.

John shrugged, but didn't say anything because he was trying to act brave in front of people, "I'm a CSI Trainee," he finally said quietly. "I'm sure he does that with all the trainees. I'm nothing special."

"There's a lab filled with people who disagree," Flack replied as he walked over to the coffee maker.

John silently covered his face because he could feel tears wanting to escape his eyes and he found himself crying quietly because he felt guilty over enjoying the opportunities he had while his father was unable to work due to his chemo treatments. Flack's eyes widened and he gaped at John in surprise.

"I didn't realize you were that upset about being praised," Flack said nervously. "I'm sorry."

Before John could offer a reply, Mac wandered into the break room and silently eyed John for a few moments before joining him at the window, "I'm assuming this teary moment has to do with the surgery your father had a while back," Mac spoke quietly. "I'm also assuming that the news wasn't good."

"Stage 2 testicular cancer," John replied softly, unable to lie to his mentor. "I offered to drop out of school and find a real job, but my parents told me to stay focused. I'm just worried about it."

Mac nodded and Flack cringed, "He's doing chemo right now," John continued, trying to compose himself because he didn't want to look weak. "Mom's getting shifts with FDNY where she can, but Michael and Emily are still really small and need lots of her attention most of the time. David and Ellie want to help so much, but they're really young. Grandpa and Grandma Sullivan are having a kid…"

"Your parents are smart people," Mac observed calmly. "You need to focus on your school and this and simply be there for them as they ask you to be. I do, however, think talking to someone might help you deal with the stress of everything. I'll leave that up to you, though, all right? You're dismissed for today."

John nodded, sighed, and silently left the room with his snack and his schoolbag, unaware that Mac and Flack were now discussing how to help his family out. As John reached the foyer, he was surprised to see his mother sitting beside a stroller that held a warmly dressed Michael and Emily while a heavily pregnant Yelina sat on the other side, "Mom, Grandma," he said gently. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we'd come pick you up today," Danielle replied as she stood up. "How was your day?"

John smiled, "It was good," he replied, not wanting to tell his mother that he had been crying about his father's cancer because she was worried enough about it already. "How are you two doing?"

* * *

 ** _Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida_**

"…I love you too, Tim," Emily spoke in a quiet voice as she touched the screen. "Bye."

The call ended and Emily sighed softly as she set the headset on the desk before getting up and leaving her father-in-law's office. She came out into the restaurant and froze when she saw Anthony sitting with Warrick, "Excuse me, sir, can I help you?" she asked politely. "I don't work here, but I know how to…"

"Are you Emily Speedle?" Warrick asked softly, giving her a look. "I'm Warrick Brown and I'm from the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I'm trying to look into what happened to your brother, Ryan. Can we talk?"

Emily sighed, "Have you come to tell me why the Vegas PD is holding Ryan prisoner?" she asked coldly.

"I'm here investigating Dennis Sackheim and Derek Stokes," Warrick replied quietly. "I knew Sackheim from a case he did in Miami a few years ago and he went on medical leave shortly after that case."

Emily frowned, "Have a seat," she replied. "This is my father-in-law, Anthony Speedle."

Warrick nodded, "I'm not sure Sackheim is in Miami anymore, but if you're here, that means he's not in Vegas," Emily replied in a concerned voice. "As for Derek Stokes, the Miami-Dade PD and New York PD are already looking for him because of crimes he committed in two states. I think Derek had a hand in Ryan's abduction because the ME of our Crime Lab saw him and he seems to have a wealth of knowledge. A girl named Emily Yokas and my niece, Jenny, are also probably involved in this."

"Your niece?" Warrick asked in a confused voice. "My information didn't mention her."

Emily suddenly looked very sad, "Ryan and I have an older brother named Tommy who is currently receiving in-patient treatment in the psychiatric unit at Miami-Dade Unviersity Hospital because Ryan had him moved from a correctional facility," she explained quietly. "With Ryan away, Tommy's well-being and care falls to me and to Tommy's wife. Jenny is Tommy's only daughter and she is already wanted for assaulting her now ex-boyfriend, who happens to also be my younger brother-in-law."

"My youngest son," Anthony offered quietly. "I'm running this restaurant on limited hours right now and when Emily's family center is ready, I will be closing this restaurant and opening a new one there."

Warrick immediately looked confused and Emily smiled, "My ex-husband, Bernard Marquez, left me millions in his will and also his businesses," she explained quietly. "I am turning one of his businesses from a nightclub into a family center and it will include a restaurant. It should be done by spring."

"Please, Ryan must be very scared," Anthony spoke anxiously. "Can you do nothing for him?"

Warrick sighed softly, "I wish I could, but Ryan can't even remember anything about what happened to him, so the investigation is stalled on our end," he replied quietly. "How's it going on this end?"

"I'm working as the MDPD psychologist, I'm raising two children, and I'm also looking into doing my doctorate online," Emily replied in a tired voice. "My husband, Detective Tim Speedle, is in Vegas with Ryan and I'm trying not to miss them too much. As far as I know, the investigation is also slow here."

Warrick nodded and Emily sighed tiredly, "Emily, perhaps you should go back to the house and have a nap," Anthony spoke gently. "Jason and Tony will be here in a bit to move some more things…"

It was then that Warrick noticed that a lot of the décor had been removed and only basic tables, chairs, dishes, glassware, and silverware remained, "I have mostly cleaned out the office except for the computer, but I have already taken all my personal information off of there," Anthony explained in a calm voice. "Ever since Tony was beaten, I don't feel safe working here in such an open area."

Warrick nodded and Emily got up, "I brought the van," she said in a tired voice. "See you later."

Sighing heavily, Emily silently went outside and across the street to the minivan. As she got inside, checked the rearview mirror as a safety precaution, and locked it, she suddenly noticed a man that resembled Nick Stokes hiding in the bushes nearby holding a gym bag. Beyond the man, Emily could see a dark van where an anxious looking Jenny was watching anxiously from the open back door.

Swallowing hard, Emily quickly got out her phone to call into the restaurant because she knew it would endanger the baby if she went back in and a bomb went off. The man dropped the bag in the bushes and quickly ran back to the van. As the van door slid shut, Emily and Jenny stared at one another.

The van quickly took off and Emily's eyes widened as the duffel bag suddenly exploded, engulfing the restaurant, the nearby shoreline, and her van. Swearing anxiously, Emily curled herself into a ball to shield herself and the baby from the damage.

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

Juliana Morrison sighed bitterly as she watched John get into a taxi with his mother, a Colombian woman she didn't know, and two babies as the cabbie packed a stroller into the trunk. She had followed John and Lindsay from NYU to see what he was really up to since him working at a Crime Lab seemed unrealistic at his age. She didn't think much of Danielle or her children when they had lived in Vegas.

The cab drove off into the busy city and Juliana silently vanished into a nearby alley because she didn't want to appear as if she was stalking John to get to his mother. She knew that Danielle had asked John to get another advisor because of their past together and to her, Danielle was nothing more than a man-stealing, CSI wannabe who didn't know how to take responsibility for the pain she inflicted on others.

Swearing under her breath, Juliana hailed a cab and kept quiet as she endured the long ride through the traffic-filled streets back to her home. She couldn't afford cabs, but she needed to think of a new plan.

Soon enough, Juliana arrived home and found that Special Agent Sackheim was on her computer and looking like a kid at Christmas, "John Boscorelli is John Sullivan's grandson," Special Agent Sackheim said in an amused voice as he gazed at Juliana menacingly. "Ryan was looking for Sully's stepson and a girl named Lindsey Stetler on his own time and that's why I had him kidnapped and drugged into oblivion."

"I don't want to talk about John Boscorelli or his mother!" Juliana snapped. "Danielle seduced Nick Stokes back when we worked together at the Vegas Crime Lab and her precious little John is seducing older women and claims to be working at the New York Crime Lab! Like trashy mother, like trash son!"

Special Agent Sackheim gave her a look, "Perhaps paying a visit to the New York Crime Lab would calm you down some?" he suggested in a bored voice. "I know that Ryan was tortured and dumped in Vegas to die because I paid two Russians to do whatever they wanted with him. It's all Sully's fault he's there."

"Danielle asked John to stay away from me and John brushed me off when I tried to talk to him today!" Juliana snapped, glaring at the man. "He's not going to want to talk to me at the Crime Lab either!"

Special Agent Sackheim scoffed, "If I take you to the Crime Lab in a disguise and help you take control of the place with weapons, will you stop whining at me?" he asked in an annoyed voice, exasperated that he had to put his plan concerning Sully on hold because this mentally unstable woman had a vendetta against a woman that he didn't care about. "Do you know how many guns and stuff I brought with me?"

Juliana scoffed and Special Agent Sackheim sighed calmly, "Maybe attacking the Crime Lab and taking hostages will get Sully's attention and he can understand why Ryan's actions were so dangerous," Special Agent Sackheim said in a cold voice. "When Ryan started snooping into the whereabouts of Lindsey Stetler and Ray Caine Junior, my friends in Brazil got angry and _ordered_ me to deal with it."

"So, you want to hurt John Boscorelli and innocent people at the Crime Lab in order to force this Ryan Wolfe guy and this Sully guy to back off on their search for missing kids?" Juliana asked in a surprised voice, horrified at what Dennis was really like. "I don't want to hurt innocent people…."

Special Agent Sackheim scoffed, "This is _my_ show now, Juliana," he snarled. "You don't have a choice."

* * *

 ** _Please read and review!_**


	2. For the Greater Good

_**Miami-Dade Crime Lab – Miami, Florida**_

A concerned expression filled Eric's face as he came into the break room and saw Robert sitting on the couch, silently reading a magazine while BJ slept in his lap, "Shh," Robert spoke softly, looking up.

"Is everything okay?" Eric asked quietly. "Doesn't BJ usually go over to Speed's every day?"

Robert sighed, "BJ woke up this morning not feeling well, but I have to work until three, so I just let him come with me and I dropped Adam at Speedles," he replied softly. "I'm thinking of seeing if I can either get off early to take him to the doctor or have Doctor Woods look at him when she comes in."

BJ stirred, "Why's everyone being so noisy?" he groaned quietly, his throat sore from speaking. "Dad…"

Robert responded by helping BJ sit up and grabbing a trash can off of the floor, sighing as he set it in BJ's lap, "Use that," he replied gently, rubbing BJ's back as BJ threw up. "Does your tummy still hurt?"

"Yeah," BJ replied quietly, setting the trash can aside. "Dad, I would have been fine at home."

Robert gave him a look, "We had this discussion at home and I am not your mother," he replied firmly, his expression patient. "I am not going to leave you on your own when you aren't feeling well."

BJ sighed softly, "I know you're not Mom," he said in a tired voice. "I just don't like this time of year."

"I know," Robert replied patiently as Horatio came into the lounge. "Lieutenant Caine, sir."

Horatio eyed his nephew and BJ, "We just received a call out to Calle Ocho," he said somberly. "Someone planted a bomb at the Speedles restaurant and there were people there when it went off."

Eric's eyes went wide and Robert looked horrified, "Everyone's responding," Horatio spoke quietly, eyeing Robert and BJ with concern. "If BJ is sick and you need to go home, I do understand."

"I just hate holidays," BJ replied in a tired voice. "I can sleep in the back of my dad's car."

Horatio sighed, but nodded simply because he needed all hands on deck, "Calleigh, Natalia, and Jesse were on their way in when they got the call out," he said anxiously. "Alexx is also on her way there."

"Should someone call Emily so she can tell Speed?" Eric asked in a concerned voice.

Horatio suddenly looked very grim, "Emily called dispatch from her van," he replied in a somber, anxious voice as he looked at his brother-in-law. "She had just left the restaurant when the bomb went off."

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"You're not cleared to fly, Ryan!" Nick said in an anxious voice as he hobbled outside and saw Ryan talking with Tim, who was sitting in his rental car. "What are you trying to do, kill yourself?"

Ryan scoffed as he held on to the car for dear life, "My father's restaurant in Miami was bombed," Tim said as he looked at Nick through the open window. "My wife called me from our van; she saw it happen and she said that a guy who looks like you dumped a duffel bag there and ran. The bomb was most…"

Nick's eyes went wide, "Derek," he said in a shocked voice. "Derek's the one who did it."

Noise filled the air as Greg, Catherine, and Ecklie came out, all of them confused as to why Ryan was trying to leave, "Tim needs to help his dad and I need to get home," Ryan said in an anxious voice.

"You're not cleared to leave the state, Wolfe!" Ecklie snapped. "Stand down or I'll detain you!"

Nick glared at Ecklie, "Derek's the one who blew up the restaurant!" he snapped angrily.

"I'll call Rick," Catherine said in an anxious voice. "He and Tim are needed in Miami."

Ryan scoffed, "Ryan James Wolfe, if you get in that car, I'll detain you on grounds that you're a danger to yourself!" Ecklie snapped. "Just like when Sergeant Stetler had you put on a 72 hour hold in Miami based on the Baker Act criteria! You can't remember what happened to you because your mind's already broken and it's a wonder you can even do your job with the mess going on in your head…!"

Ecklie suddenly trailed off as Ryan decked him, sending him to the ground, "WHOA!" Greg exclaimed in an anxious voice, his eyes wide at Ryan's violent outburst. "Ryan, you can't go decking cops!"

"That pinhead had no business looking into my life!" Ryan snapped, his voice angry. "He deserved it!"

Catherine went to Ecklie's aid simply because she needed to calm him down so he wouldn't order Ryan's arrest, "If you try and set foot in McCarran, I'll have you arrested!" Ecklie snapped as he was helped up.

"Did you seriously look into Ryan's life?" Nick snapped, his anger switching to Ecklie's actions.

Ecklie scowled, but didn't offer a reply, "Rick, there's a bit of a situation," Catherine said as she got on her phone after discreetly making a call to Rick. "Ecklie and Ryan got in a bit of a scuffle…"

"That psychopath decked me!" Ecklie shouted. "Willows, tell your loser husband to stay out of it!"

Ryan opened the door and slipped inside the backseat, both shocked by what he had done and worn out from being on his feet, "I just want to get home to my family," Tim snapped. "Is all this necessary?"

Catherine glared at Ecklie as she hung up, "Rick's on his way," she replied coldly. "Satisfied?"

"I think Ryan can handle a domestic flight," Greg spoke anxiously. "It sounds safe enough."

In the safety of the backseat of Tim's car, Ryan sighed heavily and Tim closed the window so they could talk freely, "I'm violent like my dad was," Ryan spoke quietly. "I punched a cop and should be arrested."

"The chemistry of your brain was altered by chemicals that Sackheim guy gave you against your will and that Ecklie guy had no business snooping into your life," Tim replied quietly. "You know that James…"

Ryan nodded, "I _know_ what Bernard's capable of," he said quietly. "I endured his torture."

"James gets upset sometimes too," Tim spoke quietly. "Have you thought about medication?"

Ryan shook his head as there was a knock on the window and Tim opened it, "Go back to the house and get your stuff together," Catherine said in a concerned voice. "I'll try and calm Ecklie down."

Nodding, Tim put the car into gear and drove off down the road, hoping that his family was okay.'

* * *

 ** _Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida_**

Jesse froze as he turned the corner and saw the mess cordoned off by police barriers and blocked by emergency response vehicles. He quickly parked his Hummer and got out, only stopping to grab his kit out of the back of his car before going over to where police and rescue personnel were gathered.

It was only then that Jesse noticed the familiar van and saw Emily, who was wearing a dust mask, being helped out of the heavily damaged van by an anxious looking Tripp, "…Tim's father and a Las Vegas CSI named Warrick Brown were inside when the bomb went off," Jesse heard Emily say anxiously. "Tim installed dash-cams on the van after we bought it. Take them back to the lab and look at them."

Calleigh suddenly came into view, "I saw Jenny right before the bomb went off," Emily said anxiously.

"Jenny, your niece?" Tripp asked in a confused voice. "She had something to do with this?"

Emily nodded, "Please, my father-in-law and Warrick Brown are still inside," she repeated.

Calleigh's eyes went wide at the mention of Warrick, "I'm not hurt and the baby's fine," Emily replied as she pulled away from Tripp. "Jesse, Calleigh, please go make sure Anthony and Warrick are all right."

"Speedle's father was in the building with Warrick Brown?" Calleigh asked in a concerned voice.

Emily looked helplessly towards what remained of the restaurant and Jesse anxiously took off towards it with Calleigh at his heels, "Careful," Calleigh said in an anxious voice as they approached the building.

Jesse nodded and gingerly stepped around debris as he and Calleigh went into the restaurant, "…Help," a faint voice suddenly spoke anxiously through coughs. "I tried…I tried to stay with him…"

Swearing anxiously, Jesse and Calleigh followed the sound and immediately found a hand sticking out from a pile of debris that was near the kitchen and management office, "We've got you," Jesse said anxiously as he and Calleigh removed the debris and saw Anthony laying on the dirty tiles sporting a bloody head wound and looking anxious about what had just happened. "Mister Speedle!"

"I…I'm all right," Anthony spoke in a shaky voice. "Mister Brown…he had gone into the kitchen…"

Calleigh nodded and wandered into the kitchen while Jesse got on his radio to call for paramedics, "Warrick?" she called out into the kitchen, shocked by the amount of debris and broken glass that was scattered throughout the kitchen as well as overturned appliances. "Warrick, are you in here?"

Faint coughing filled the air and Calleigh's eyes went wide as Warrick limped out of the cooler with blood all over his forehead and face, "Mister Speedle said I could help myself to a pop from the cooler and I was getting one," Warrick said in an anxious voice. "I heard a boom and glass breaking…"

"Someone planted a bomb," Calleigh explained anxiously. "Can you make it outside by yourself?"

Warrick nodded, but Calleigh stayed by his side as they slowly made their way through the damaged restaurant and outside. Both were relieved to see that Jesse and Anthony were outside and over at an ambulance with an anxious Emily. Horatio hurried over to them looking both anxious and relieved.

"The Bomb Squad is here and they want to clear the place," Horatio said firmly. "Everyone out?"

Calleigh nodded, "Emily said that she saw Jenny and a guy that looked a lot like Nick Stokes right before the bomb went off," she replied in a concerned voice. "Do you think it could be Derek Stokes?"

"Possibly," Horatio replied in a concerned voice. "I think we need to talk to Emily."

Before Horatio could approach the ambulance, however, his phone started buzzing and he quickly answered it, frowning when he heard an angry voice on the phone, "This is Lieutenant Caine," he spoke calmly, frowning when the caller identified himself and said his peace. "Ryan Wolfe did _what_?!"

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Is that Ecklie guy going to arrest me?" Ryan asked in a quiet, subdued voice as he sat on the couch in Rick and Catherine's living room, unable to pack anything because his arm was still in a cast and he didn't really have anything to pack because he hadn't brought any luggage. "I'm like my father…"

Tim sighed softly, but continued to pack his things and the few things that Ryan had been given while recovering in Vegas, "You are _nothing_ like that drug-addicted, alcoholic moron," Rick hissed, having hated Ryan's father ever since he helped put the man in prison. "He was violent by choice."

"I punched a cop and I just about killed him," Ryan spoke quietly. "I just lost it and acted in anger…"

Rick sighed as he poured two glasses of apple juice and brought one to Ryan, "You knocked him down and you may have bruised his massive ego, but you didn't actually hurt him," he replied firmly. "I personally think Conrad Ecklie is a jerk and he deserved it, but Lenny, don't go hitting people."

"Oh, I won't," Lenny promised quietly as he sat at the kitchen table. "What's for lunch?"

Rick gave him a look, "There's stuff for sandwiches in the fridge," he replied patiently.

Lenny, however, looked at Ryan curiously, "Did you hit someone, Uncle Ryan?" he asked softly.

"My dad was violent and I'm acting like he was," Ryan spoke softly. "I should be locked up."

Rick gave Ryan a look and sighed gently, "Lenny, Ryan's father was addicted to alcohol and drugs and used to abuse Ryan and his siblings quite badly," Rick explained quietly. "His father is now dead."

Lenny nodded silently, his expression sad, "Can we not talk about my dad anymore?" Ryan asked quietly, shaken by reminders of his dark past. "I'll end up back in the psych ward again."

"No, you won't, but I want you to ease back into work when you get back to Miami because you've lost about 20 pounds," Rick replied calmly. "Between the torture and ablation, you need recovery time."

Ryan sighed, "I'll hold off on working til January if I can," he promised. "If…if I get to go home soon."

"Oh, I'm sure you will," Rick spoke calmly. "I know for a fact that Ecklie called Horatio and…"

Tim looked amused and quickly finished packing just as the phone rang, "Can I help at all?" Ryan asked quietly, feeling like a useless leech because he wasn't doing anything to contribute.

"I packed my stuff and yours," Tim replied calmly. "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

Ryan shrugged and Rick hung up the call, "Horatio talked Ecklie into letting you go home, Ryan, and he wants you and Speedle to get to the airport right away," Rick said calmly. "Can you manage?"

"I'll manage," Ryan replied in a quiet voice as he slowly stood up. "Will you be back for Christmas?"

Rick shrugged and Tim grabbed the closed suitcases and his backpack, "Let's go," Tim said gently.

Ryan opened his mouth to say thank you, but Rick gently shooed them towards the door.

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

"…That's great, Jim," Bosco heard Danielle say as he approached the bedroom to go to bed simply because it was more comfortable than the couch. "It'll be nice to see Gil again and meet Sara."

Bosco silently entered the bedroom and saw Danielle sitting on the bed hanging the phone up, "Hey," he said in a tired voice as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I had some tea and I'm just so tired today."

"Maurice, we need to talk," Danielle replied as she cuddled close to him. "About my past."

Bosco nodded, suddenly feeling concerned because he hadn't seen Danielle so concerned about anything since he had been attacked, "I told you what Greg told me about what happened to Nick Stokes after he helped me, John, David, and Ellie escape Las Vegas," Danielle spoke softly. "What I didn't tell you was that another lab tech there told Edward where we lived because she had a crush on Nick and he wasn't interested in her. She thought Nick and I were sleeping together, which we weren't."

"A lab tech looked up your address?" Bosco asked in a shocked voice. "Isn't that against some policy?"

Danielle nodded, her expression grim, "She must have gotten fired for that or left Vegas, because she was John's advisor at NYU up until recently," she replied in a worried voice. "When I found out that she was John's advisor, I asked him to request a new one and not to talk to her anymore. He didn't seem to understand my request, but he promised me he would get a new advisor. I'm scared, Maurice."

"Is that why you were talking about that Grissom guy?" Bosco asked softly. "Cause of her?"

Danielle sighed, "Grissom is the Head of Victims Assistance and he was the one who asked Nick to get us out of there," she replied softly. "Grissom and another CSI, Sara Sidle, are coming to check things out."

Bosco didn't say anything and Danielle took his hand, "I just feel so bad that I couldn't protect you from that….in Miami and now I can't seem to protect you from this," Danielle spoke in an anxious voice.

"Come lie down with me for a few minutes, babe," Bosco spoke softly. "I love you so, so much."

Danielle helped Bosco lie down and then lay down next to him, sighing as he put an arm around her and held her close, "We protect each other and our kids quite well," Bosco said tiredly. "Come here."

Bosco gently kissed Danielle and Danielle gently stroked his face, "Get some sleep," Danielle spoke softly, hating the fact that he looked exhausted. "I'll make you something easy on your stomach."

"Thank you," Bosco spoke in a tired voice. "I tried to be out there, but I just got so tired."

Danielle nodded and covered him up before getting off the bed and turning the lights down so that he could sleep comfortably. She went out into the front room and saw that her father was cooking while Yelina was settled on the couch with David and Ellie while Michael and Emily sat in their swings, all of them watching a Christmas program on television. John, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's John?" Danielle asked in a concerned voice. "He knows not to go off by himself."

Sully gestured to the bedroom that John and David shared, "He's in there," he replied calmly.

Danielle silently went over to John and David's bedroom and saw that John was sitting on his bed, silently putting some tissue paper packages into a bag, "What are you doing?" she asked kindly.

"I'm gonna give this to Uncle Ty to take over to Detective Yokas since she's having a hard time lately," John replied quietly. "I got some things from a nearby 99 cent store on my lunch a few days ago and it's stuff I'm sure she'll be grateful for and maybe she can give some of it to Emily, wherever she is."

Looking thoughtful, Danielle came into the room and sat on the end of the bed, "Your father and Carlos didn't press charges on Detective Miller and Faith," she explained quietly. "They are now out of jail and Emily's staying with them, but she is under electronic monitoring until Derek Stokes is caught because she agreed to testify against him for what he did to Nick. Please don't share that you know this."

"Dad didn't press charges?" John asked in a shocked voice. "How did you know that Uncle Carlos…?"

Danielle sighed, "Holly confided in me and I'm confiding in you," she spoke gently. "Anyway, you don't have to give those things to Lieutenant Davis. I can take you over to visit them in a few days, as Faith and I have had conversations over the phone and your father doesn't think it worth it to hate them. I think it's very kind of you to think of them during the holidays and I'll call Faith to arrange it."

"I guess Dad thinks life is too short to hold grudges?" John asked softly. "I don't blame him."

Danielle nodded, "Your grandpa's making dinner, so put this stuff away and go check your sugars so you can eat with the rest of us when it's time for supper," she said in a firm voice. "Love you, kiddo."

* * *

 _ **McCarran International Airport – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"…I sincerely apologize," Grissom heard a faint voice say as he and Sara came through security. "I've…"

There was a patient sigh, "Your story and your face have been all over the national news, Officer Wolfe," Grissom heard a kind voice say. "I'm glad you're finally being allowed to go back to Miami…"

Sara turned and was both surprised and concerned when she saw an airport attendant standing beside an exhausted Ryan, who was sitting on a bench near the airport sign while Tim sat beside him with a bag on his shoulder, "I know I've been on the news and it's a little intimidating," Ryan spoke quietly.

It was then that Ryan noticed Grissom and Sara coming into the terminal, "Have you come to arrest me?" Ryan asked quietly, gazing at Grissom. "I know I shouldn't have punched him, but he…"

"Punched whom?" Grissom asked in a curious voice, figuring that someone had baited Ryan.

Ryan swallowed hard, "Some guy named Conrad Ecklie," he replied nervously. "He looked into my past and threatened to arrest me if I tried to leave. When he started trashing me, I sorta knocked him down."

" _You_ punched Ecklie?" Sara asked in an awed voice, a smile breaking out on her face. "Good job!"

Ryan frowned, "I just got a little tired in Security and they went to get a wheelchair or something for me so I wouldn't faint on the way to the gate," he replied. "Somehow, Horatio convinced Ecklie to let me go home, but I'm sure I'm in trouble. Rick made us come here and said our flight was being booked…"

"I don't know anything about that," Grissom replied calmly. "I'm on a Victims Assistance matter."

Ryan nodded, "As for what you did to Ecklie, I wouldn't make it a habit," Grissom spoke calmly.

Just then, another attendant arrived with a wheelchair, "I'm going to escort you and your brother-in-law to your gate, Officer Wolfe," the attendant said kindly. "It's all been arranged by the Las Vegas Police."

Grateful that he didn't have to be on his feet any longer, Ryan nodded and silently moved into the wheelchair, "Please, Doctor Grissom, is there anything I can do for you and your lab?" he asked softly.

"You can focus on getting well," Grissom replied calmly, surprised at Ryan's high level of humility.

Before Ryan could offer a reply, the airport attendants hustled him and Tim off towards the kiosks, shops, and gates, "How'd Ecklie suddenly change his mind?" Sara asked in a confused voice.

Grissom sighed patiently, "Greg said that he'd come back to work in the lab full time and give up his aspiration to be a CSI if Ryan was allowed to go home," he explained quietly. "It's not what Greg wanted, but he considers Ryan a friend for life. Nick, however, is still planning on suing the PD."

Sara suddenly felt very sorry for Greg because before the shooting, Greg had been working very hard in field training and now his dream seemed to be over, "There's nothing I can do at this point because Ecklie's calm for the moment now that he's got Greg back, but I'll be calling a meeting once we get back from New York," Grissom spoke calmly. "For now, though, we should go and find our gate."

* * *

 _ **Crime Lab**_

"Greg, do you want something to eat?" Catherine asked in a quiet voice as she came into the locker room and saw Greg silently putting things in his locker. "I finished all of my paperwork and I'm…"

Greg sighed softly, "I'm working a double in the lab," he replied. "I'm back there permanently."

Catherine scowled, "I told Ecklie I'd come back to the lab full time and give up my field training aspirations if he let Ryan go back to Miami," Greg replied softly, a sadness in his voice as he secured his hearing aids. "I had put in a request for disability accommodation to try field training with my hearing aids, but I withdrew it so that Ecklie would back off on Ryan. Compared to what Ryan's been through…"

Greg straightened his locker before getting his lab coat out and closing it, "I can't imagine losing days of my life and never being able to get them back," he replied quietly. "My ability to hear may be compromised, but at least my mind isn't damaged by drugs given by some insane FBI Agent."

Catherine looked thoughtful, "I visited Ryan a lot when he was in the hospital and he tried really hard to remember, but he couldn't," Greg spoke quietly. "He _needs_ the support of his friends and family."

"You're a good person, Greg," Catherine replied softly. "Did you want me to bring you something?"

Greg shrugged, "No, I think I'll be all right," he replied softly. "I'm head of the DNA lab again and Ecklie said he'd let the rest of the techs know. There's a bit of a backlog from when I was away, so I'm going to be working through that for the next shift. At least I'm still part of the Crime Lab, you know?"

Catherine nodded, "You…you should go and be with Rick and your son," Greg spoke quietly.

Before Catherine could reply, Greg donned his lab coat and silently made his way to the DNA lab where most of the lab techs, including Hodges and Archie, were all waiting for him, "Hey, Ecklie just told us that you're back," Hodges said in a confused voice. "What happened? I thought you were fighting it."

Greg sighed, "I offered to come back and stop fighting being put back in the lab if Ryan Wolfe was allowed to go home to Miami," he explained in a quiet voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot of work that isn't going to do itself and Ecklie's gonna get after me if he catches me slacking off."

The DNA lab slowly emptied out and Greg silently got to work, silently hoping that Ryan would be okay.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Memorial Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

Ignoring the throbbing from the bandaged wound on his forehead, Warrick wandered into the room where Anthony was lying in bed with a gown on his body, a bandage around his head, and bandages on his chest along with a brace on his wrist, "Ah, Warrick, you're all right," Anthony said warmly.

"I was in the cooler, but you were closer to the bomb," Warrick replied softly. "Are you all right?"

Anthony sighed, "A sprained wrist, broken ribs, and a gash on the forehead," he replied in a tired voice. "Emily went to find me some water and to call Rosa since my cell phone and phone were blown up."

"Why would anyone want to blow up your restaurant?" Warrick asked softly. "That seems random."

Anthony nodded, but didn't offer a reply to the question, "I have worked very hard over the years and Rosa is currently homeschooling children privately, so we will be fine financially until the new restaurant is built," he said in a tired voice, sighing as Emily came into the room with a glass of water. "Ah."

"I phoned Rosa and she wanted to come here, but I asked her to stay with James, Julliet, and Adam," Emily explained, handing the cup to her father-in-law. "Detective Caine's oldest isn't feeling well, so Horatio dismissed them from the scene, but someone should come by in a bit to talk to you both."

Anthony nodded, quickly drank the water, and sighed as he closed his eyes just as Horatio came into the room, having provided a police escort to his nephew and great nephew, "Emily, I have good news," Horatio spoke quietly, watching as Warrick sat in a chair. "Ryan and Tim are on their way home."

"I don't understand," Emily spoke quietly, well-aware that Warrick was listening in. "How?"

Horatio looked thoughtful, "I believe Mister Sanders made some sort of bargain with Conrad Ecklie that resulted in Ryan being allowed to leave Las Vegas," he replied in a concerned voice, determined to check into what exactly Greg had done to achieve such a feat. "I just got a call from Rick in Las Vegas."

Emily nodded, deeply relieved, "I'm actually on my way to the airport to pick Speed and Ryan up and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?" Horatio asked quietly. "I know you've missed them."

"Emily…go….see Timothy and little Ryan," Anthony spoke sleepily, having heard Horatio's words.

Warrick sighed softly, "I'll stay here," he commented softly. "Go see your husband and brother."

"Thank you, Warrick," Emily spoke quietly, sighing as she followed Horatio from the room.

Horatio gave Emily a smile, "Did you want to tell Tommy?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Tommy's having a hard time and I think I'd rather wait until Ryan can come see him in person," Emily explained in an anxious voice as they left the hospital. "What Jenny did really shattered him."

* * *

 _ **Coconut Grove**_

"I'm sorry I made you leave work, Dad," BJ said in a quiet voice as he lay down on the couch in their living room under blankets with a pillow behind his back. "I know you just started at the lab."

Robert sighed patiently, "You and your brother come before my job and everyone knows that," he replied in a kind voice. "Stay there and rest and I'll get you some gingerale and put soup on."

Sighing softly, BJ closed his eyes and Robert silently went into the kitchen, quickly putting a pot of soup on and getting some gingerale from the fridge. Robert didn't immediately return to the living room, however, and reflected on what Emily had quietly told him about his sons being susceptible to anxiety-related illnesses or panic attacks because of all the unpleasant memories given to them by Amanda.

Truth be told, Robert had hated all family-oriented holidays for the longest time because Amanda's mental illness and abusive personality had made everything difficult, but he had forced himself to be strong for his sons because they needed him. As much as he loved Natalia and wanted to marry her, Robert knew that he wasn't mentally and emotionally ready to actually propose and remarry after being in a stressful, extremely abusive marriage for 11 years. Thankfully, Natalia was very understanding of that and was very willing to help him recover and take the time that they both needed to heal.

Swallowing hard, Robert returned to the living room and gently woke BJ awake, "Here, buddy, you gotta drink some of this for your stomach," he said gently, helping him drink. "It'll help your stomach."

"Thanks, Dad," BJ spoke softly, sighing as his father took the empty can away. "I'm sorry."

Robert sighed and gently stroked his hair, "It's not your fault," he replied softly. "Sleep."

As BJ drifted off to sleep, there was a knock at the door and Robert quickly answered it, deeply relieved to see Natalia there, "Detective Tripp called me and said you took the day off because BJ got sick," Natalia spoke quietly, her expression concerned. "I was wondering if there was anything I could do?"

"BJ's sleeping, but I'm always happy to have your company," Robert replied quietly. "Come in."

Natalia nodded and came inside the house, closing the door behind her, "It's an anxiety-related illness that presents symptoms of the flu and I was told that both BJ and Adam might get them during holidays or times that trigger memories," Robert explained quietly. "I was just making BJ some soup."

"Do you get the illnesses too?" Natalia asked as she followed Robert into the kitchen.

Robert sighed and stirred the boiling soup, "I see the department psychologist and I also go to the meetings," he replied quietly. "I do get nightmares sometimes, but I usually get up and take a walk around the house or go take care of the flower garden when I wake up in the night or can't sleep."

Natalia nodded, "I feel bad about taking off, though, especially since the Speedles restaurant was bombed and Mister Speedle and another person barely escaped," Robert spoke anxiously.

"What?" Natalia asked in a shocked voice, her eyes wide. "Someone bombed the restaurant?"

Robert nodded, "I drove by the place on my way home and it looks bad," he replied softly.

"Oh, wow," Natalia said in a saddened voice. "Do they have any idea who did it?"

Robert looked grim as he turned the stove off, "No, but I know that the restaurant's been running on reduced hours ever since Tony Speedle was attacked," he replied in a quiet voice. "I can only imagine how much worse it could have been if it had been open and fully staffed like it once was…"

As Robert's voice trembled, he silently reached for Natalia and she gently held him close.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade International Airport**_

Thanks to their badges, Horatio and Emily were able to find a parking spot close to the Arrivals Terminal and also find out which gate Ryan and Tim's flight was going to come to. They were then escorted there by airport staff because Horatio had subjected himself to endless media interviews ever since Ryan had been taken to try and get his young CSI home. He hadn't let any others of his staff be interviewed.

By the time they got to the gate, the plane had arrived and people were getting off with their carry-on luggage, but there was no sign of Ryan or Tim, "This is the correct gate, right?" Emily asked in a concerned voice as the last of the passengers got off. "I don't see Tim or Ryan anywhere."

Horatio frowned and as he began to look for someone to ask, noise filled the boarding tunnel and both he and Emily were concerned when they saw Ryan being wheeled into the terminal by a flight attendant while Tim followed behind with his bag slung over his shoulder, "Horatio, Emily?" Ryan asked tiredly, clearly not expecting anyone to be at the gate for them. "I didn't expect anyone to meet us."

"I didn't expect anyone to either," Tim replied in a quiet, but surprised voice. "How did…?"

Horatio smiled patiently, "Rick called me from Vegas," he explained in a calm voice.

Ryan sighed tiredly, "The airport staff on both ends insisted that I ride in a wheelchair because I'm really tired," he explained in a voice that spoke volumes to Horatio and Emily. "I'm feeling a lot better, but…"

"You're on paid leave til after Christmas," Horatio spoke firmly. "Alexx also wants to check you over."

Ryan nodded, relieved to know that Alexx was okay, "I'm just glad to be home," he spoke quietly.

Horatio nodded and Emily gave him a gentle hug before embracing Tim, "The restaurant's gone, but your father and Warrick are all right," Emily explained in a quiet voice. "They're at Miami-Dade."

"Warrick?" Ryan asked in a confused voice. "Warrick's from Las Vegas; why would he be here?"

Emily sighed, "I'll explain on the way out," she promised. "I'm so glad you're finally home, Ryan."

Too exhausted from the flight to talk, Ryan offered a polite smile and closed his eyes to rest.

* * *

 _ **InTown Apartments - Calle Ocho, Miami**_

Soon enough, Horatio's Hummer had arrived back at Ryan's apartment building and with Horatio's and Emily's help, Ryan was able to make it to his apartment. Tim had asked to be dropped off at the hospital so he could visit his father and nobody had argued with his request, as he had just spent a month away.

As Emily unlocked the door with the key Ryan had given her since his had been lost, Ryan was pleasantly surprised to see Alexx and Jason cleaning his apartment and stocking it with food, "Uncle Ryan!" Jason said in a relieved voice, smiling at Ryan. "Doctor Woods and I thought we'd clean your apartment."

Tears came to Ryan's eyes as he stared at Alexx and he silently embraced her with his good arm, sniffling when Alexx hugged him back, "I went shopping and got you food that's good for you and will help you stay healthy," Alexx spoke as they pulled apart. "Now, come over here and sit down for a rest."

Ryan silently allowed Alexx to lead him over to the couch where she had set up a makeshift bed of quilts, blankets, and pillows. The coffee table was in reach of his good arm and had a glass of juice, the TV remote, a few books and magazines, and the phone, "Just lie down, baby," Alexx spoke gently, sighing as Ryan did so without hesitation or complaint. "If you want to sleep, that's okay."

"I slept on the plane," Ryan replied in a quiet voice. "Why would anyone try to hurt Speedle's dad?"

Horatio sighed calmly, "Ryan, Jenny was there with Derek Stokes," Emily spoke up anxiously, unwilling to lie to her brother when he had already been through so much. "I saw the whole thing from my van."

Ryan's eyes widened slightly, "I'm not allowed to work on the case, but I couldn't bring myself to lie to you when you've already been through so much," Emily explained as she sat in a chair. "I'm going to stay for a while and keep you company while you sleep and I know that Alexx is also planning to stay."

"I'm going to rest, but you're free to hang out," Ryan spoke quietly. "Thanks for helping me out."

Horatio looked concerned as Ryan drifted into a sleep, "Greg Sanders should be the one thanked because he obviously made a personal sacrifice to make this happen and I'm not going to rest until I find out what he did," he replied as he moved towards the door. "I need to get back to the restaurant."

"Please, when you find out, let me know," Emily spoke quietly. "I owe Greg Sanders my thanks."

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	3. Searching for Answers - December 7, 2005

_**December 7**_

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

"Did you want to come over to visit Emily and Faith with us, Maurice?" Danielle asked in a kind voice as she came into the nursery and saw Maurice sitting in the rocking chair holding a very awake, unhappy looking Michael while Emily slept soundly in her crib nearby. "Mikey's so temperamental at his age…"

Bosco sighed and kissed Mikey's tiny face, "No, I don't think Faith and Emily need to deal with my stuff on top of theirs," he replied quietly. "Besides, someone has to stay here with Mikey and Emily and be here when David and Ellie get home from school. Sully and his wife are off on a date, remember?"

Just then, John came into the nursery wearing socks, jeans, and a hoodie over a t-shirt with his backpack over one shoulder, "I'm ready to go, Mom," he said calmly. "Dad, are you gonna come visit too?"

As if sensing his father might leave, Mikey whimpered, "No, I'm going to stay inside where it's warm and rest with Mikey and Emily," Bosco replied in a tired voice. "Your grandparents are out on a date and I'm tired from yesterday's chemo, so I'm fine where I am. If I need anything, I'll call down to Carlos."

"You knew Uncle Carlos was gonna figure it out," John spoke quietly. "When he saw how tired…"

Bosco nodded, but didn't say anything because he knew that Carlos wouldn't go blabbing about his illness to anyone. Michael suddenly quieted down and went to sleep in his father's arms.

"I'm going to put Mikey to bed and then I'm going to eat," Bosco said softly. "Have fun."

Danielle kissed him and then left with John, stopping only to get their coats and the large bag of things that they had gotten Faith, Emily, and Captain Miller for Christmas. They made it outside pretty quickly, smiling at the doorman as they left and crossed the street to the part of Central Park that sat between them and where Faith's family lived. Snow littered the ground, but neither of them minded the cold.

As Danielle and John walked across Central Park, however, they suddenly noticed that someone clad in a hooded winter jacket, gloves, and sunglasses coming towards them from a side path, "Mom," John spoke anxiously, suddenly stopping. "That guy's coming towards us really fast. What do we do?"

Before Danielle could reply, the mysterious figure lunged at Danielle, knocking her and the bag of things to the cold, hard ground, "MOM!" John shouted in an anxious voice as he lunged at the figure and struggled to drag it off of his mother. "GET OFF MY MOTHER, YOU MASKED PUNK!"

Danielle kicked the figure, allowing John to drag him or her away. Unfortunately for him, the figure was bigger and quickly loosed themselves, turning on him in an instant and immediately throwing John against a nearby tree, causing him to gash his face and forehead. As the figure rebounded on Danielle, John grabbed one of his gloves and ended up yanking it off before delivering a bite to the bare hand.

The figure let out a stream of obscenities and promptly delivered a punch to John's face. Danielle gasped anxiously, her ribs hurting from when she was forced to the cold, hard ground, "Mom, are you okay?" John asked in a concerned voice, ignoring that he was bleeding. "Dude, seriously, back off or…"

Without warning, John found himself forced into the bare tree and screamed as the figure bit into his neck with his or her teeth and scratched him as hard as they could. The figure then threw him to the snow and took off running into the park fast enough that neither Danielle nor John could catch them.

Swearing anxiously, John staggered over to where his mother lay, "Mom," he said anxiously.

"John, sweetie, I think I hurt some ribs when I was pushed," Danielle spoke anxiously. "Get my phone."

Ignoring the trembling in his body, John got on the ground next to his mother and silently got her phone out of her pocket. He quickly called 9-1-1 and explained what happened before giving their location.

* * *

 _ **New York Crime Lab**_

"One of your old lab techs, here?" Mac asked in a concerned voice as he and Grissom sat in Mac's office.

Grissom nodded, "Her name is Juliana Morrison and she ended up being fired from the Vegas Crime Lab because she used personal information from the lab database to help a known criminal cause some trouble," he explained, having gotten the story from Nick. "She had a crush on one of my CSI's…"

"That's a needle in a haystack," Mac replied in a concerned voice. "John's mother called you about her?"

Grissom sighed, "Jim Brass was the supervisor back then, so she called him and he told me because I am the head of Victims Assistance," he explained in a concerned voice. "I promised that I'd check it out."

Mac nodded, "I can call the Boscorelli house," he replied calmly. "John Boscorelli is a trainee CSI here and is doing a co-op with us and NYU, so I have his contact information. Hang on while I find it."

Grissom's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could speak, Stella poked her head into the office, "Mac, we've got an all-hands-on-deck call out," she said in a concerned voice. "At Central Park."

"A dead body?" Mac asked in a concerned voice as he stood up. "Grissom, if you want to tag along…"

Stella frowned, "It's John Boscorelli and his mom," she explained in a worried voice. "John called into dispatch and a lot of cops are down there along with Flack. John and Danielle were attacked."

Grissom's eyes widened and Mac frowned, "Let's go," Mac said in a concerned voice.

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida**_

"Warrick, I'd like to know what you're doing here," Horatio asked quietly as he came into the hostel room where Warrick had set himself up while staying in Miami. "I know you have a job in Vegas."

Warrick sighed as he sat down on the couch, "I was suspended because people think I hit Greg Sanders with my car on purpose when it was an accident," he explained softly. "I was going too fast and…"

A jolt of pain shot through Warrick's body and he sighed softly, quickly retrieving the bottle of painkillers he got from the hospital out of his satchel, "I came to investigate Dennis Sackheim and Derek Stokes," he spoke in a quieter voice. "I made copies of all of the evidence from Ryan's time in Las Vegas."

Horatio frowned and sat on the couch, watching as Warrick dry swallowed a pill, "I was talking to Anthony Speedle and Emily Speedle about it before the restaurant was bombed," Warrick explained in a quiet voice. "I stayed when Emily left because Anthony wanted me to get myself a pop from the cooler and I was in the cooler when I heard noise and found myself thrown against one of the walls."

"I'd like to take a look at what you have," Horatio requested in a calm, patient voice. "Please?"

Nodding, Warrick reached into his satchel, pulled out the stuffed folder, and handed it to Horatio, "Nobody at the lab knows I took copies, but what happened to Ryan Wolfe was terrible," Warrick explained in a quiet voice. "Was he doing something here that prompted such an attack?"

"Ryan Wolfe was apparently investigating some missing children," Horatio replied somberly.

Warrick sighed, "Ryan was tortured over missing kids?" he asked in a stunned, disgusted voice.

* * *

 _ **Central Park**_

The sight of John kneeling alongside Danielle, who was sitting on the grass with a hand on her ribs, caused Faith to hurry down the path faster. She had been making juice for the visit while Emily rested and she had suddenly gotten a call from John, who had said that they had been attacked in the park.

Uniformed officers were setting up police tape around a grass patch just off the path while paramedics hurried down the path with a gurney, supply bag, and backboard. The cold was making both Danielle and John tired, but John had managed to remove his winter coat and cover his mother with it to keep her from going into shock. Danielle had since managed to sit up and was holding her coatless son close because a combination of cold, trauma, and low blood sugar were slowly taking a toll on John.

"Oh, John, you're such a brave kid," Danielle spoke in a shaky voice, trying to stop him from shaking.

Flack silently approached with the paramedics, "Mom, you should go," John spoke shakily. "I can wait."

"You're _both_ going to the hospital, so there's really not a reason to argue," Flack spoke up firmly as he fished a digital camera out of his pocket. "Mrs. Boscorelli, I need to take pictures of John's injuries."

Danielle nodded, but kept a hold on John while Flack snapped pictures because he was shaking, "This masked figure just lunged at my mom," John spoke shakily. "My dad's sick and doesn't need to…"

"Looks like they did a number on you," Flack observed quietly, eyeing John's neck. "A bite mark."

John sighed, but didn't say anything and instead watched paramedics come over to his mother and help her up on to a gurney, "Another rig's coming for him," he heard a paramedic say. "Let's go to Mercy."

"You don't look so good, John," Flack observed, watching as Danielle was taken away by paramedics.

John gave Flack a look before suddenly noticing Faith standing there, "Aunt Faith, can you call my dad and tell him what happened to my mom?" he asked in a tired, quiet voice. "He needs to know."

Faith frowned, "Your blood sugar's low," she replied firmly. "Why didn't you tell the paramedics?"

A wave of nausea suddenly hit John and he wavered slightly before passing out cold at Flack's feet.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab – Miami, Florida**_

 _A man that resembled Nick Stokes hid in the bushes near the restaurant with a gym bag in his hands and an anxious looking Jenny watched from the open door of a dark van that was parked near the restaurant. The man dropped the bag in the bushes and quickly ran back to the van, smiling at Jenny as he got in and as the door closed, the man said something to Jenny and tenderly touched her stomach._

 _The van drove off after the door was closed and a few minutes later, the dashcam started shaking._

"What Emily said matches this footage," Eric said in a concerned voice. "That looks like Derek Stokes."

Calleigh nodded, her expression grim, "Why was Derek touching Jenny's stomach?" Eric asked quietly.

"I think she might be pregnant," Calleigh spoke quietly. "Maybe Derek Stokes is the father…"

There was a sigh, "And that would make him father to two children from girls much younger than himself since there is speculation that Derek Stokes is the father of Emily Yokas's baby," Natalia said as she came into the room and saw the footage. "It also proves that Derek Stokes is still in Miami."

"Maybe Ryan or Alexx know where Derek's hiding?" Eric suggested in a concerned voice.

Natalia sighed, "Alexx hasn't talked about what happened to her and Ryan since it happened and she's not on today," she replied in a concerned voice. "Ryan's on medical leave until at least January first."

"Maybe someone should go talk to one of them," Eric said firmly. "We need to find Derek Stokes."

Calleigh nodded, but Natalia looked concerned, "Maybe you'd better ask Horatio about that first, as he is very careful about who he's letting Ryan talk to right now," Natalia replied. "It's Horatio's call."

"Is Ryan suddenly incapable of communicating?" Eric asked sternly. "He's been in Vegas for a month and hasn't set foot in the lab or the PD since he's been back. I'm sure he's got a lot of information to share."

Seeing that Eric was frustrated, Calleigh gently placed a hand on his arm and Eric looked at her, "Sorry," he commented, realizing that she was calming him down. "It's just…we need Ryan's version of events."

"I'll give Horatio a call," Natalia offered. "Maybe he can talk to Ryan and get a statement."

Eric nodded and as Natalia got on the phone, he looked at Calleigh and mouthed a quiet 'thank you.'

* * *

 ** _Speedle Residence - Calle Ocho_**

"I'm not a trauma counselor, but I am a certified Crisis Response Officer and you don't have to tell me anything you don't feel comfortable sharing," Robert spoke quietly as he sat down at the backyard patio table where Ryan was sitting wearing sweats, a shirt, shoes, and a hoodie. "How are you feeling?"

Ryan sighed quietly, "How did you handle your abduction when it happened to you?" he asked quietly, too tired and nervous to raise his voice. "I've only been back from Vegas for a few days and…"

"I take every day as it comes," Robert spoke quietly. "Now, my situation is slightly different in that I can remember most of what happened to me whereas you were drugged to the point where you can't…"

Ryan nodded, but didn't say anything, "I've mostly stayed at my apartment since I got back and only went out for the first time yesterday to the hospital so I could get a head scan and get my cast removed," he spoke in a quiet voice. "Mrs. Speedle convinced me to come over for a visit, but she's been telling me that I shouldn't be staying alone when I'm still recovering from what happened."

"I understand that my uncle set up a visitor schedule for you, right?" Robert asked quietly.

Ryan looked nervous, "I'm still trying to adjust to being back and it's uncomfortable being around most of my colleagues because they expect me to be the same old Ryan," he replied. "But…I'm not the same."

Robert looked thoughtful, "Is that why you've been cancelling some visits?" he asked in a calm voice.

Ryan nodded, "I'm sure Alexx, Jesse, Eric, and Calleigh don't get it, and the others on the list probably don't get it either," he said in a shaky voice. "I love Alexx to bits, but seeing her reminds me that even though I can't remember what happened, I'm responsible for her getting into a lot of bad trouble. I've never been close to Eric or Calleigh and I dodge Jesse by just not answering the door when he knocks."

Robert smiled, "There's nothing wrong with you wanting your space sometimes, Ryan," he replied gently. "However, I do think that Mrs. Speedle has a point; you've had a very terrible thing happen to you and being alone so much will only make you anxious and maybe trigger memories of the trauma before you are physically and emotionally ready to deal with them. What did the head scans say?"

"I left once it was done," Ryan replied softly. "I already know that I'm permanently screwed up."

Before Robert could reply, Rosa poked her head out the screen door, "Ryan, Lieutenant Caine is here to talk to you," Rosa said in a concerned voice. "He's got someone named Warrick Brown with him."

Ryan frowned, "Warrick from Vegas?" he asked in a worried voice. "Why is he out in Miami?"

An uneasy feeling filled Ryan and he slowly stood up, "I knew that they'd try to send me back there," he said in a quiet voice, giving Robert an apologetic look. "Mrs. Speedle, thank you for letting me…"

"Ryan, honey, sit down and I'll tell this Warrick Brown that you're too tired to have lots of people visit," Rosa replied softly, knowing that Ryan was scared he was going to be forced back to Vegas. "Okay?"

Nodding, Ryan sat back down and Rosa went through the house, smiling when she saw that Anthony was out of bed and sitting on the sectional couch with James and Julliet clustered on either side of him while a Christmas movie played on the television, "Timothy and Emily went Christmas shopping," Anthony said, looking at his wife. "I took a pain pill and these two begged me to watch a movie."

Rosa nodded and quietly went into the foyer near the front door, sighing when she opened it and saw that Horatio and Warrick were still there, "I'm sorry, Ryan's very tired and doesn't want a lot of visitors right now," she said in an apologetic voice. "Perhaps try again in a couple of days, Lieutenant Caine."

"I understand, thank you," Horatio replied, unsurprised that Ryan wouldn't talk to him since Warrick was around because he knew that Ryan feared being ordered back to Vegas by the vengeful Conrad Ecklie.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital - Manhattan, New York**_

Anxiety filled Bosco as he paid the cab and slowly moved into the emergency room after getting a call from Faith that Danielle and John had been attacked in the park. Even though he was tired from chemo, Bosco had called downstairs and asked Carlos and Tommy to watch Michael and Emily while he went to see Danielle and John. Once Carlos and Tommy had shown up, Bosco had quickly gotten a cab.

Now, as Bosco approached the desk and saw the many cops milling around, he wondered if someone had been seriously injured or killed in the attack, "Excuse me," he said to the busy looking desk clerk.

The desk clerk glared at him and continued working, so Bosco silently made his way past the cops and looked around to see if he could find Danielle or John, ignoring the many stares he was getting.

"Officer Boscorelli!" Bosco suddenly heard a voice call out. "Down here!"

Sighing, Bosco followed the voice and saw Flack lingering outside of an exam room, "Danielle's in there," Flack said pointing through the glass to the bed where Danielle was resting. "She bruised some ribs and they wanna keep her for observation to make sure the ribs don't fracture and puncture her lungs and she's on some strong painkillers. She said it could have been a whole lot worse if John hadn't fought."

"And where's he at?" Bosco asked in a concerned voice. "There are an awful lot of cops out there."

Flack sighed, "John passed out at my feet and I ran him over in my car since they were still calling for another rig, but it didn't hurt him any," he explained quietly. "He's gettin' patched up in a trauma room.

Nodding, Bosco silently went into the exam room and sat on the edge of the bed, prompting Danielle to wake, "Maurice," she said in a groggy voice, gazing up at her husband. "Did you bring the twins?"

"I asked Carlos and Tommy to come watch em," Bosco replied gently. "How are you doing?"

Danielle sighed softly, "Just some bruised ribs," she said quietly. "I've got a tough body."

Bosco nodded and stroked Danielle's hand, "I'm fine, Maurice, but I don't know how John's doing," Danielle replied in a groggy, concerned voice. "Will you please go check on him and stay with him?"

Bosco sighed and kissed Danielle's hand before getting up and leaving the room, swallowing hard as he moved to the trauma rooms. John was laying on a gurney in the trauma room closest to the admit desk with his eyes closed and sporting IV's in both arms while a blanket and gown covered his body. His face was bruised and cut and there was a bandage around his forehead holding a piece of gauze in place along with a bandage on the side of his neck that made Bosco wonder what exactly went on.

Swallowing hard, Bosco silently went into the room and sat down in a chair beside the gurney just as Mary Proctor came in with a portable pulse-ox monitor, "Boscorelli, how are you?" she asked as she put the clip on John's left index finger and set the machine up on the side of the gurney. "You look tired."

"Um, I'm actually doing chemo for testicular cancer," Bosco replied quietly. "I'm on medical leave."

Mary looked surprised, "I left Mikey and Emily with a neighbor and Danielle shooed me in here because she says she's fine," Bosco explained in case she wanted to judge him. "Were there weapons involved?"

"I have no idea," Mary replied in a concerned voice. "Can you sign John's admit order since you're here, please? His injuries aren't severe, but his blood sugar and blood pressure took a beating and the doctor wants him admitted for a day or two for monitoring. I know his mother's got her own injuries, so…"

Bosco nodded as John suddenly stirred briefly before opening his eyes and immediately cringing in pain as he tried to breathe deeply, "Where's Mom?" John asked, eyeing Bosco. "Did she get to safety?"

"Your mom's fine," Bosco replied softly. "You, though, will need to spend a day or two here."

John nodded and drifted off again quickly, "Where's the paperwork?" Bosco asked in a quiet voice.

* * *

Sully paled, clinging to Yelina's hand tightly as they sat together at a table with Grissom at a café not far from the family apartment, "…Attacked?" he said in a shocked voice. "Danielle and John were hurt?"

Grissom nodded, "I got your address from Detective Taylor and he thought that I should come talk to you while he and his Crime Lab process the evidence, but a Carlos Nieto told me this is where I'd find you," he explained quietly. "From what they know, Danielle and John were walking through Central Park when a figure clad in winter clothing suddenly launched themselves at Danielle. As they fought, John pulled the attacker off of his mother and a scuffle started between them. Danielle and John are both at Angel of Mercy Hospital getting treatment. I apologize for interrupting your date, but I thought…"

"Gil, here," Sara, who had met Grissom at the café after getting a cab from the hotel, said as she approached the table with two plates of sandwiches. "You should take time to eat something."

Grissom smiled at Sara as she sat down and dug into her sandwich, "I saw Ryan when he was in Vegas and I'd just like to know what you were thinking asking him to look into your missing kid when most precincts have Missing Persons departments that have resources and secure ways of finding missing children," Sara said in a cold voice, eyeing Sully and Yelina coldly. "He was almost killed over it."

"Yelina's son has been missing a long time and I thought it would bring a light to her eyes again if I could find Ray Junior for her," Sully explained apologetically. "Since Miami is where they lived when he went missing, I asked Ryan to help me out. I never thought that it would result in him being…"

Sara sighed, "Ryan was tortured with beatings and drugs to the point where he has permanently lost some of his memories and may suffer permanent brain damage," she spoke coldly. "You should have left him out of it and went through official channels. The guy has cancer and you almost got him killed."

"It's already happened, so there is no point in placing blame," Yelina spoke up firmly. "Miss Sidle, I appreciate that you care so much about Ryan, but John was only trying to ease my pain."

* * *

 ** _Coconut Grove – Miami, Florida_**

"How was your playdate with James and Julliet, kids?" Robert asked in a kind voice as he let himself, BJ, and Adam into their home and led them into the kitchen for a snack. "What do you want for snack?"

Adam silently climbed up on to a chair at the kitchen table, "Can we have apples and cheese, please?" he asked quietly. "Daddy, James was sad about his Uncle Ryan today and I tried to cheer him up."

BJ quickly got some chocolate milk out of the fridge and some glasses out of the cupboard, "James's uncle has an illness called cancer and he also was kidnapped by some bad people a month ago who hurt him really badly," Robert explained calmly, quickly getting some apples and cheese from the fridge. "I suspect that James knows that his uncle is struggling to get better and is scared for him."

Adam nodded and quietly watched BJ bring glasses of chocolate milk over to the table, "Dad, what are we gonna do about Christmas?" BJ asked in a worried voice. "Adam and I saw people decorating…"

Robert quietly chopped up some apples and cheese and brought them over to the table on a plastic plate, "What would you two like to do about Christmas?" he asked quietly as he sat at the table.

"Can Uncle Horatio and Natalia come over for it?" BJ asked softly. "They don't have anyone else."

Robert nodded, "Do we have to have turkey and Christmas food?" Adam asked quietly.

"We can get whatever kind of food you guys want," Robert replied gently. "How about we make a list?"

BJ and Adam nodded and Robert retrieved a pen and pad of paper, eager to take suggestions.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade University Hospital_**

"…I'm afraid that you cannot have access to the ward," Ryan heard Dr. Higgins say in a stern voice as he approached the Psychiatric Unit and saw Erica Sikes and a cameraman lingering by the desk while Dr. Higgins stood outside the closed doors that led into the unit. "I want you out of here right now."

Ryan scowled as he approached Dr. Higgins and Erica smirked at him, "Back from the dead, Ryan?" Erica asked snidely, giving him a flirtatious look. "If you give me an exclusive on your time in Las Vegas…"

"You need to take your cameraman and _get out_ ," Ryan replied coldly. "Before I break the camera."

Erica looked amused and offered Ryan a microphone, "Please?" she asked softly. "For me?"

Ryan silently look the mike, swore, and smashed it on the ground, "OUT!" he shouted.

Ignoring the look Erica was giving him, Ryan silently walked over to the door and Dr. Higgins joined him, "Can I see my brother, please?" he asked quietly as Erica and the cameraman left. "I'm sorry about..."

Dr. Higgins nodded and led Ryan through the doors, "I'm actually hoping you'll come see me for an appointment to talk about what you've been through recently," she said calmly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm still trying to adjust to being back," Ryan replied quietly, suddenly feeling tired from the walk he took from Speedles to the hospital. "I'm sorry, I'm feeling a bit tired and I need to sit for a moment."

Dr. Higgins frowned and helped Ryan sit down on a padded chair, "Maybe you should get checked in the ER while you're at the hospital," she said in a concerned voice, quickly sitting beside him. "Did you have treatment for your cancer while you were in Las Vegas? Some treatments can cause anemia…"

"I was visiting my sister's kids and I walked over here from there," Ryan replied quietly.

"Well, Tommy's currently doing finals for the distance learning courses he's doing anyway, so he won't be having visitors until later," Dr. Higgins replied calmly. "He signed up for a few courses in Management that were paid for by Anthony Speedle because Anthony will need staff for his new restaurant."

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't say anything, "Why don't you let me run you down to Dr. Loman in the ER?" Dr. Higgins said gently. "Do you want a wheelchair or can you walk on your own?"

Fear filled Ryan and he slowly got up, "I can walk," he replied nervously even though he felt shaky.

Dr. Higgins quietly walked alongside Ryan all the way down to the ER and she could see how tired the walk was making him, but she didn't say anything because she suspected he was scared to admit weakness. As they reached the ER, however, Ryan suddenly wavered and she gently grabbed him.

Offering whispered apologies, Ryan allowed himself to be led over to a gurney, "Are you staying with anyone?" Dr. Higgins asked quietly as Dr. Loman noticed them and came over. "Doctor Loman."

Completely exhausted from two long walks, Ryan slowly passed out as he heard his name being called.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York**_

Hours had passed and John sighed softly as he lay in bed awake, now a patient in one of the rooms in the hospital's Pediatrics Unit simply because of his injuries and blood sugar. Along with the low blood pressure and blood sugar, he had broken some ribs, hurt some muscles in his back, had sprained his left wrist, and had gotten stitches in his neck after the attacker had bit him there for no reason. He had also gotten a gash on his forehead that had to be stitched up, covered with gauze, and bandaged.

It was close to dinner time and his father had since taken his mother home to rest, both of them stopping by to check on him before they left. Since John was 17, Bosco had signed papers for him to be put in Peds simply because he believed it would be a good place for John to actually get some rest.

Normally, John would have been doing everything he could to escape and go home to his family, but he felt so weak and sore that being in bed made him feel better. He knew that his father and mother wouldn't come back for the evening, as they needed rest and to be with David, Ellie, Michael, and Emily and his grandparents were preparing for the birth of their kid. Dinner was due any moment, but John didn't feel like sitting up and eating even though a nurse had already been in to give him insulin.

Sighing softly, John touched the bruises on his face and touched the bandage on his forehead before gazing at the IV's in his right hand, "I must say, you've looked better," he heard a kind voice say.

John looked up and was surprised to see Mac lingering in the doorway, "Detective Taylor, sir," he said in a quiet voice, hoping he wouldn't have to sit up or move. "I'd shake your hand, but I'm kinda sore."

"You did a good thing today, defending your mother," Mac replied calmly as he came into the room and stood beside the bed. "All of the evidence from the attack is being processed at the lab."

John looked somber, "Do you know who did it?" he asked softly. "I know I'm only 17, but…"

Mac looked thoughtful and paused as Bosco came in carrying a bag full of stuff, "Hey there, kiddo, I brought you stuff and a supper I know you'll eat," Bosco said calmly. "They're getting a cot for me."

"What about Mom?" John asked, watching as his father set the bag on the bed. "She needs you."

Bosco sighed patiently, "Your mother has her parents to help her with Mikey and Emily and David and Ellie are surprisingly good at knowing how to take care of themselves," he replied calmly, pulling out a few containers. "I made you a chicken and quinoa salad, green tea, and some vegetables that's mixed with some brown rice. I'm gonna be staying the night, so I brought enough food for two people."

"Please, Detective Taylor, who would want to hurt my mom?" John asked, ignoring the food.

Mac sighed, "There was saliva in the bite mark on your neck and DNA in the scratches that you and your mom received," he replied in a concerned voice. "We searched the national database and got a hit from the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I haven't talked with Gil Grissom yet, but the profile of Juliana Morrison came up and it listed her as a lab tech from around the time you were there. Do you know her at all?"

"I didn't visit the Crime Lab very much because I was in school, but I think she worked with my mom in the lab," John replied quietly. "My mom has a degree in Health Sciences because she didn't wanna support us by working at McDonald's. I know her and my mom were friends, but then they had a huge fight about something and not long after that fight, Mom told me that we all had to move from Vegas."

Mac nodded, "I'll talk to your mother when she's feeling better, but I want you to eat right now and then rest," he replied calmly. "I'll arrange for you to do your finals and lab proficiencies when you're feeling better since you need to be physically well to do them. Have a good evening, all right?"

"Yes sir," John replied quietly as Mac moved to the door. "Thank you for coming to visit me."

* * *

 _ **Brooklyn, New York**_

"How stupid could you be?" Dennis Sackheim snapped as he stood in Juliana's kitchen, watching her clean her cuts with paper towel and peroxide. "I thought you were there to beat up Danielle Sullivan, not give some underage punk a hickey. Your plan didn't work and they're going to identify you."

Juliana scoffed, "I didn't expect to find her so quickly in the park and I definitely did not expect a kid as skinny as John Sullivan to know about fighting," she hissed. "Danielle's always been a skinny twig like Greg Sanders and I have no idea where she learned to fight like that. She's not built like Nick was…"

"Oh, will you stop it about Nick Stokes already?!" Dennis snapped as he moved into the living room and switched on the television and looked for a news channel. "You _asked_ me to help you go after the son of a federal judge because you thought he was messing around with a co-worker. What's done is done."

Swearing, Juliana finished cleaning her wounds and her eyes widened as she suddenly saw Grissom on the screen talking to a reporter while Danny and Mac looked on, "Gil Grissom?!" she hissed anxiously.

"Oh, you are _screwed_ ," Dennis hissed, his eyes wide because he too knew he was in deep trouble because that meant that either Nick or Danielle had seen Juliana and reported her. "You are so stupid."

Juliana spat bitterly at him, "John told his mother that I was his advisor and she asked him to get a new advisor because she doesn't trust me," she snarled. "Little brat is too smart for his own good."

"Well, your little petty attack didn't do anything, but get you beat to a pulp by a skinny waif," Dennis replied in an amused voice. "You told me John works for the New York Crime Lab. Let's just go there."

As Juliana's photo appeared on the screen, she scoffed and gave Dennis a condescending look, "We'll plan it out properly and then attack the lab," Dennis said coldly. "There won't be any mistakes."

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	4. Screams In The Night - December 13, 2005

_**December 13**_

 _ **Coral Way – Miami, Florida**_

Deeply exhausted from work and a very late night that involved a quiet visit to Marisol's grave because sleep eluded him, Horatio silently laid down in bed and stared up at the ceiling. The holidays were getting closer and work was a distraction to get through the day, but night was the hardest time because he was alone and reminded of what he had lost. He went to counseling appointments at least once a week to discuss his feelings, but he didn't want to impose his pain on anyone outside of that office.

The clock read 2:00 and as Horatio closed his eyes to force himself into sleep, he heard the movement of tires on the road just off of his property. Wondering who was out driving around so early in the morning, Horatio silently got out of bed and moved over to the computer console that held footage from the security cameras that were around the outside of his quiet home. The camera pointed towards the street showed that a black SUV was parked at the curb just outside the gate and it was running.

Frowning, Horatio grabbed the cordless phone off of the nearby nightstand and dialled 9-1-1, "This is Lieutenant Caine of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab," he said in a concerned voice. "According to my security cameras, I have a suspicious SUV parked outside my gate and it appears to be running. I need…."

A loud boom and crash filled the air as the SUV suddenly plowed through the gate, went up the lawn, and crashed into the front of the house. Horatio carried the phone over to his bedroom door and quickly locked it, wondering who would launch an attack on his home and do it in such a brutal way.

"An SUV has just driven through the front of my home!" Horatio spoke anxiously into the phone.

Footsteps filled the hallway and Horatio threw the phone under the bed because he knew the call would be recorded should anything else happen. As he went for the gun that he kept under his nightstand drawer, his bedroom door was forced off his hinges and three masked people invaded his bedroom.

Horatio suddenly found himself grabbed by two of the masked people and forced facedown on to his bed with his arms behind his back. Anger surged through him and he broke free, flipping one of the attackers over the bed and knocking the other one over with a simple dropkick to the groin.

Swearing loudly, the person that was flipped across the bed staggered to their feet and extracted a gun from their waistband, "Don't kill him!" Horatio suddenly heard Valera's voice shout. "Please!"

The gunman swore, moved around the bed, and belted Horatio hard in the abdomen with the gun, sending Horatio down on the bed again, "Tape him!" Horatio heard an angry voice shout.

"Derek Stokes," Horatio wheezed, recognizing the voice. "You know you're wanted, Derek."

There was a silence as Derek ripped his mask off and leered at Horatio before throwing the mask on the floor and viciously beating Horatio with the gun. Derek then threw the gun on the floor, grabbed Horatio's handcuffs off of the desk, and proceeded to cuff Horatio's hands behind his back.

Pain shot through Horatio's body and he suddenly threw up, "Get his gun and whatever money you can find!" Derek barked, repulsed by the puke all over the sheets. "This, Caine, is for taking Nick away!"

Horatio let out a hiss of pain as Derek struck him in the back, cringing when sirens suddenly flooded the air, "…I…I have a silent alarm," Horatio spoke in a breathless voice. "You…you triggered it, Derek…"

"GRAB WHAT YOU CAN!" Derek shouted as he ran out of the room. "WE GOTTA MAKE TRACKS!"

The silent masked man emptied Horatio's wallet of cash and bolted, but Valera remained behind and clumsily rolled Horatio on to his back so he wouldn't drown in his vomit, "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"If you were sorry, you would turn yourself in," Horatio rasped weakly, his pain level increasing.

As Valera turned and left the bedroom to escape, Horatio quickly slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Crime Lab**_

"Natalia?"

Tired from the nightshift that she was working because she wanted to have time off on Christmas to spend time with Robert and his sons, Natalia looked up from the work she was doing and saw Walter in the doorway, "Old case?" Walter asked in a kind voice. "I just thought I'd say that Cardoza's here."

"It's actually the Jessica Bonasera case," Natalia replied quietly. "And Jesse works nights sometimes."

Walter nodded, "Can I help?" he asked enthusiastically. "Jesse's snacking in the break room and…"

Before Natalia could reply, her beeper and Walter's beeper went off, "Just a sec," she said softly.

Walter watched as Natalia dialled a number, said a few words, and then gaped at the phone, "What?" Natalia asked in a shocked voice, her eyes widening in horror. "Yes, call in all shifts on this!"

Anxiety filled Natalia as she hung up the phone, "That was patrol responding to an alarm that went off in Coral Way," she explained in a shaking voice. "Horatio's home was attacked and Horatio was hurt…"

Walter quickly helped Natalia clean up her workspace and the two of them hurried down the hall, meeting Jesse at the elevator. The three of them rode the elevator downstairs and silently proceeded outside to where the police cars and Hummers were parked, already stocked with full CSI kits.

"I…I need to call Bobby," Natalia said in an anxious voice, pulling out her phone. "He…he should know."

* * *

 ** _Calle Ocho_**

The sound of anxious breathing filled Rosa Speedle's ears as she moved through the house towards the door after being woken by an anxious phone call from Robert, expressing a need to have someone watch his kids while he went to a crime scene. Figuring that Tim would also be needed, Rosa had woken him and Emily had gotten up with him to find out what was going on and see if she needed to help.

"Detective Caine, hello," Rosa spoke anxiously as she opened the door and watched Robert carry a sleepy looking Adam inside over his shoulder while a tired looking BJ followed. "What happened?"

Robert sighed and gently set Adam down on the couch, kissing his face as he did so, "BJ, I want you and Adam to listen to Mrs. Speedle, okay?" he asked quietly. "I don't know how long I'm going to be gone."

BJ hugged his father and sat on the couch as Tim and Emily came out into the living room, "Detectives Speedle, if you're both feeling up to it, there is a very serious crime scene," Robert said anxiously.

"Horatio usually calls everyone when there's a scene," Tim said in a tired voice. "Why didn't he?"

Robert looked grim, "My uncle's house was attacked," he replied in a quiet voice. "He was attacked about an hour ago and I was one of the first people Jessop called after responding to the scene."

Tim's eyes widened and Emily looked horrified, "All shifts were called in and I can't work the scene myself, but I'm going to hold vigil at the hospital," Robert spoke quietly. "Natalia's been doing some night shifts so she can have the holidays off to spend with us, so she was one of the first to…"

Adam closed his eyes and drifted off, prompting Rosa to pick him up, "Come on, BJ, I'm going to put you and Adam in the guest room," she said in a soft voice. "Ryan went back home, so the room is empty."

Robert frowned, "Ryan was supposed to stay through Christmas," he said in a concerned voice. "After he passed out at the hospital from anemia and low blood pressure, he was asked to stay with someone."

"Ryan likes his space," Emily replied quietly. "I go visit him once a day and we talk on the phone a lot."

Robert nodded as Rosa led BJ and Adam away, "Emily, why don't you go over to the hospital and see what you can find out?" Tim suggested, not wanting Emily at the scene being pregnant. "I'll go over."

"Did you restock your kit and clean your gun?" Emily asked firmly, giving her husband a look.

Tim nodded, "Yes," he promised sincerely, kissing her cheek. "I've learned my lesson about that."

* * *

 ** _InTown Apartments_**

"Valera, I want to get back to Jenny," Derek hissed as he pulled up in front of the apartments where Ryan lived, having been told where Ryan lived through the MDPD records. "What are you doing?"

Valera sighed, "I want Ryan to get us out of trouble," she replied anxiously. "Ivan lent us a guy…"

Derek scoffed, "I'm getting back to Jenny," he replied coldly. "I didn't sign up for this."

Valera gave Derek a look as she and the third masked person climbed out of the SUV and silently crept around to the open area where the pool was. They climbed the fence and got into the common room through the pool entrance. As they looked for Ryan's apartment, a squeal of tires could be heard.

"Vat a coward," the masked figure grunted. "All he cares about eez zat broad he got pregnant."

Valera sighed and knocked on the door, sighing when Ryan opened it with the chain across the door, "Time to skin ze Wolfe!" the masked figure hissed as he kicked the door in. "Are you ready for lesson?"

Ryan swore as Valera and the masked figure forced their way in, "Ryan, we beat up Horatio and we need help hiding," Valera spoke anxiously as she got between the two men. "I looked up your address…"

Before Ryan could reply, the door to the guest room burst open and Warrick came out, giving Ryan enough time to grab his gun from the coffee table and shoot the masked man twice. As the masked man fell over, Warrick grabbed Valera and shoved her on to the couch, ignoring her anxious protests.

"I guess it was a good idea to offer you a room," Ryan said anxiously. "Did they really attack H?"

Valera got up off of the couch and extracted a gun from her pocket, "Did you really think I'd come over here unarmed, Wolfe?" she hissed. "Do you see yourself getting a phone call from your beloved team?"

"I'm on medical leave til after Christmas," Ryan replied anxiously. "Valera, why did you hurt Horatio?"

Warrick started towards Valera, but Valera pointed the gun at him, forcing him to go into the kitchen, "Derek taught me to use this after we went after Detective Caine's kid and didn't get him," she said in an anxious voice. "You're a CSI and you're the only one who isn't saving poor, helpless Lieutenant Caine."

"Don't do this, Valera," Ryan said in an anxious voice. "You know you're wanted already for that…"

Valera scoffed and took the safety off of the gun and quickly advanced on Ryan, who held his gun out, but his hands shook from fatigue and weakness, prompting Valera to laugh and easily take the gun away, "It's _way_ past your bedtime," she said in a mocking voice. "Why don't I make you comfortable?"

Ryan backed away and Valera launched herself at him, but he ducked and she grabbed on to him as she rocketed through the glass window. The guns fell out of Valera's hands as Valera and Ryan burst through the window, fell several feet, and landed in the apartment pool. Loud alarms suddenly blared.

"Ryan!" Warrick exclaimed as he hurried over the body, ran downstairs, and out into the pool area just in time to see Valera shove Ryan under the water and swim towards the edge of the pool. "STOP!"

As on-site security ran out into the pool area, Warrick dived in past Valera and quickly pulled Ryan, who was coughing and sputtering from being held underwater, to the edge of the pool, "That woman and a Russian guy broke into my friend's apartment," Warrick called to them. "I'm staying there right now."

One of the on-site security officers grabbed Valera and forced her out of the pool while the other got his cell-phone out, "I'm calling 9-1-1," the officer said anxiously, watching as Warrick helped Ryan climb out of the freezing water.

* * *

 _ **Coral Way**_

Debris littered what was once Horatio's front room and living room and Natalia found herself silently staring at broken photos of Horatio and a very young Robert that had fallen from the walls when the SUV had plowed through the house. She hadn't talked to Robert for very long on the phone and she was now wondering if he was okay holding vigil at the hospital alone and wanted very much to be there.

"Natalia?"

Swallowing hard, Natalia looked up and saw Calleigh watching her curiously, "I…I was just gathering evidence," she replied, showing the photo that was in her gloved hand. "This fell off the wall."

"Jesse told me you were the one to phone Detective Caine when you got the news at the lab," Calleigh spoke gently. "I know you're feeling pretty upset about it, but I need you to work another scene."

Natalia frowned, but set the picture down and followed Calleigh from the house over to where Tripp was standing, "Wolfe's apartment was attacked," Tripp said anxiously. "They need someone there."

"Are the two cases connected?" Natalia asked in a concerned voice. "Should I be concerned?"

Calleigh sighed, "I'm going to send you over there with Detective Tripp," she explained. "I need Speedle, Eric, and Walter here with me because it's a big scene and I know that Jesse and Tim can't work Ryan's scene due to conflict of interest and Jesse's gone over to the hospital to get evidence from Horatio."

"Okay," Natalia replied in an anxious voice, sighing at Tripp as Calleigh silently went back inside.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade University Hospital**_

"Detective Caine?"

The clock switched to 0400 as Robert looked up from the floor of the emergency waiting room and saw Alexx, "Doctor Woods," he said in a quiet, tired voice. "I didn't know you worked here?"

"Ever since Ryan and I were kidnapped, I've been doing only part time at CSI and part time here," Alexx explained in a kind voice. "I have some news on your uncle and I'm so sorry that he was attacked."

Robert nodded and sighed tiredly, so Alexx sat down next to him, "Your uncle's left shoulder was dislocated and his arm was broken," Alexx explained softly. "He suffered broken ribs, bruised lungs, and severe abdominal trauma. He passed out from pain and he's under observation just in case…"

"Just in case?" Robert asked softly, amazed that his uncle hadn't been hurt worse. "Doctor Woods…"

Alexx sighed gently, "They might have to take his spleen and put tubes in his lungs," she replied. "He was taken to surgery to get his shoulder repaired and his vitals are all over the place, so it's anyone's guess. I can walk you up to the surgical waiting room if you'd like. It's kind of lonely down here."

"Thank you," Robert replied, yawning as he stood up. "I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Alexx put a comforting arm around Robert as they went upstairs via the elevator and got off on the surgical floor, "He's the only parent I have, you know?" Robert spoke softly as they reached the desk.

Nodding, Alexx looked to the nurse, "I'm looking for an update on Horatio Caine," she spoke gently.

The nurse looked up at Alexx and smiled at her and Detective Caine, "Lieutenant Caine was just moved to a room 15 minutes ago," she explained gently, recognizing Horatio's nephew from the news.

"How did the surgery go?" Robert asked anxiously. "Please…he's already been through a lot."

The nurse handed Alexx a chart, "Room 202," she replied softly. "All the information's on there."

Alexx nodded and silently led Robert down the hallway to the patient rooms in the opposite direction of the operating rooms. They reached Room 202 and entered to see Horatio in bed with his eyes closed while a shoulder sling covered his left arm and IV's, a cuff, and hand clip covered the right arm and a gown and blanket covered his body, "Why aren't there any uniforms here?" Robert asked softly.

"When Horatio was brought in, the ER bagged all his clothes and Jessop took them to the lab," Alexx explained in a quiet voice. "I asked him to do it because I wasn't sure how quickly people would…"

Robert nodded and silently hugged Alexx, "I brought my gun," he spoke quietly. "We'll be fine…"

Alexx sighed, but followed Robert over to the bed, "They fixed the shoulder and his ribs, but all he has is bad bruising on his spleen and lungs," she explained, reading the chart. "Horatio's extremely tough."

"He feels like he has to be," Robert replied softly, taking his uncle's right hand. "My uncle raised me because he lost my mother many years ago and he just lost his wife this year. He's always been…"

Robert's voice cracked and Alexx quickly retrieved a soft chair and brought it over to the bed, helping him sit down, "Could you please go down to the ER and see if the PD has sent anyone?" he asked softly.

Alexx nodded and silently left the room while Robert gently caressed his uncle's IV-laden hand.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Crime Lab**_

"These are Lieutenant Caine's sleep clothes?" Emily asked Jessop as they went into the evidence room and saw the bag of clothes. "I was on my way to the hospital when I got a call to come here."

Jessop nodded, "This is what Lieutenant Caine was wearing when he was attacked," he replied calmly.

Nodding, Emily donned a lab coat and gloves before walking over to the bag and unpacking it, sighing when she saw that the clothes were the kind that Horatio wore to work; that meant he was still struggling with insomnia and grief and had probably made a late night visit to the cemetery like he had talked of doing during their sessions. She also knew that she would have to talk to him again soon.

"Did someone manage to get a statement from Lieutenant Caine yet?" Emily asked quietly.

Jessop shook his head, "By the time police got there, Lieutenant Caine was unconscious," he explained in a concerned voice. "The dispatcher said that he was conscious during the call and all the action."

"Ask the dispatcher to get a copy of that call to AV and wake a tech," Emily replied firmly. "Please."

Jessop nodded, "…What did you THINK you were trying to pull by coming over to my place, pulling a gun on me, and launching me through a window?!" an angry voice suddenly flooded the hallway.

Emily turned just in time to see Tripp leading a handcuffed Valera down the hallway while a soaked and bleeding Ryan, Warrick, and Natalia followed behind. Valera froze at the sight of Emily, Jessop, and the table containing Horatio's clothes and Emily glared at her, figuring she had been involved in the issue.

"You went over to Ryan's," Emily spoke sternly, quickly putting it together. "How did you know…?"

Valera sighed, "I looked up the address in Personnel files," she spoke anxiously. "I wanted Ryan to help me clean up the mess. Derek Stokes asked me to help him pay Lieutenant Caine back for Nick…"

Emily's eyes widened in horror, "Uh, Valera and Ryan fell through a window into the pool when Valera tried to lunge at him and Ryan ducked," Warrick explained quietly. "Was Lieutenant Caine attacked?"

"I don't know all the details," Emily replied in a sharp voice. "Now, however, I'm glad that I talked Ryan into taking you on as a temporary roommate because he could have been hurt quite badly otherwise."

Natalia looked surprised, but Warrick nodded, "Ryan, you're bleeding," Emily said anxiously.

Valera paled and opened her mouth to speak, but Emily swore, "Not _one_ word," she hissed. "I'm sure both Lieutenant Caine and Detective Caine will want to speak with you about the crimes you've…"

"Derek stole a bunch of money and stuff from Horatio's house to pawn so he can have the money for his kids," Valera spoke anxiously, giving Emily a look. "There's a woman in New York and one in Miami…"

Ryan and Natalia frowned, both of them confused, "Who are they?" Emily asked in a stern voice.

"The woman in Miami who is pregnant with Derek Stokes's baby is Jenny," Valera replied shakily.

Sighing, Emily closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, "And in New York?" she asked.

"Around the time Nick Stokes was abducted and dragged across the country, there was this party in New York where he was tortured and drugged as the center of attention of this party in a neighborhood called Bed-Stuy," Valera explained anxiously. "Derek said he made love to an Emily Yokas there."

Emily paled, as she knew both Faith and Emily from her time in New York, "Detective Tripp, can you get a female officer to process Valera while Warrick helps Ryan?" she asked calmly. "Natalia, a moment?"

While everyone else walked away, Natalia entered the room, "I know that Nick Stokes has been through a lot already, but he may have information on Derek that may help the PD find him," Emily spoke in a quiet, concerned voice. "We have no idea where Derek, Jenny, and all the people they're involved with are and Ryan may have been there, but he can't remember anything about his abduction because of the drugs Dennis Sackheim used on him before sending him to Vegas. I know my niece will not talk…"

Natalia nodded, "Tommy's asked the hospital to keep Jenny away," Emily spoke anxiously. "Diana has given the same orders to Emlio's school and Jason babysits him since he doesn't have a job right now."

"You talked to Judge Stokes and his wife when they were here for Nick," Natalia spoke. "Did they…?"

Swearing filled the hallway and Natalia quickly hurried down the hallway just in time to see Tripp grab a cell-phone out of Valera's hand with a gloved hand while Valera remained restrained by a female officer, "Might have some evidence on there," Tripp growled, handing Natalia the cell. "She was trying to…"

"Trying to what?" Ryan asked as he came into view still wearing wet clothes with Warrick at his heels.

Natalia got gloves out of her pockets, put them on, and took the phone, "There's a message on here with a video file attached," she said, eyeing the phone. "Let's see what the video file is."

Unaware that Emily had put Horatio's clothes away and had come down the hallway to see what was going on, Natalia accessed the video file. The screen was filled with a recording of Horatio's bedroom.

Ryan's eyes widened in anger as the video played and he swore, quickly flipping one of the glass end tables in the area causing it to break, "You, Valera, are no better than my mother!" he shouted. "What were you going to sell it to a tabloid so the lab could look bad or were you going to post it online?!"

Valera flinched, but didn't say anything, "If Horatio dies because you let Derek Stokes beat him up, I'm gonna kill Derek with my bare hands and I'm gonna make sure you get life in prison!" Ryan shouted.

"You couldn't beat Derek Stokes up before," Valera spoke anxiously. "You tried to, but couldn't…"

Ryan frowned, "Oh, that's right," Valera crooned mockingly. "You can't remember what happened because that FBI Agent gave you drugs to stuff you in that mailbag because you kept trying to fight."

Natalia frowned and Ryan looked taken aback, but before either of them could reply, Emily slapped Valera hard across the face and took Ryan's arm, "Come on," she spoke in a quiet, anxious voice.

Warrick followed Emily as she led Ryan off down the hallway, "Warrick, take Ryan down to the locker room and bag his clothes," Emily said in a quiet voice. "I know he keeps spare clothes in his locker."

Ryan sighed, but followed after Warrick while Emily silently went into her office and got a hold of the phone. She knew she had to let Dr. Higgins know so that Tommy could be protected from Jenny and whatever psychotic plans her niece and her shady friends might have that involved Tommy.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Memorial Hospital**_

Footsteps echoed down the hallway as the clock switched to 0700 and Calleigh, Eric, and Tim paused outside of Horatio's hospital room when they saw that Robert was asleep in a chair beside the bed, holding tight to his uncle's hand. Jesse, Walter, and some uniforms were still processing the scene.

"I…I should really check on Ryan's brother while I'm here," Tim spoke quietly. "To make sure he's okay and to see if he knows anything about what happened tonight. All of the staff know who I am."

Calleigh nodded, "Any idea who did this?" Eric asked as Tim walked off towards the elevators.

"No, but I know Horatio kept cameras around his property for safety," Calleigh spoke softly, reminding herself that Eric may have known that at one point, but had forgotten it due to his brain injury.

Eric nodded and he followed Calleigh into the room, their footsteps prompting Robert to wake, "Detective Caine, we're sorry to wake you," Calleigh said softly. "Any change in your uncle?"

"No, but he was very fortunate to have suffered nothing worse than bad bruises, a dislocated shoulder, a broken arm, and broken ribs," Robert spoke in a groggy voice. "I'll kill whoever did this to him."

There was a groggy sigh, "Really, Bobby, violence is not like you," Horatio's voice spoke faintly.

Robert turned his head just in time to see Horatio open his eyes, "Uncle Horatio," he replied softly.

"I hate to disrupt your rest, Horatio, but do you know who attacked you?" Calleigh asked softly.

Horatio sighed, "I do," he replied in a faint voice. "Three individuals in masks drove up to my gate and crashed through my home while I was on the phone with the police. I was forced down on to my bed facedown by two of them and I defended myself, but one of them pulled a gun. That was when I heard Maxine Valera's voice plead with the gunman not to kill me. I was hit in the abdomen with the gun and then I heard Derek Stokes order me taped. We had words and Derek ripped his mask off, leered at me, and began to beat me quite viciously. He said the beating was because I took Nick away from him…"

Eric frowned at the mention of Valera, but Calleigh nodded calmly, "I thought I was going to die," Horatio spoke in a faint voice, overcome by emotion and pain. "I remember Valera turning me over."

Wondering if Valera and Derek had tried to hurt his uncle the same way they had tried to hurt Adam, Robert scowled and looked at the floor briefly before composing himself, "The third person kept their mask on and did not speak at all," Horatio spoke quietly spoke. "How badly damaged is my home?"

"You'll be staying with me, BJ, and Adam when you're released from here so you can rest and recover, Uncle Horatio," Robert spoke gently, but firmly, gazing at his uncle. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

Horatio sighed softly, "You are so much like your mother," he spoke in a tired voice. "You really are."

"You should get some rest, Uncle Horatio," Robert spoke gently. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Another quiet sigh escaped Horatio's lips, "Maybe something easy on the stomach," he replied in a voice that shared he'd rather be sleeping. "Whatever medication they gave me is making me quite tired…"

"I'll ask a nurse," Robert replied gently, caressing Horatio's hand. "Get some rest, Uncle Horatio."

Horatio drifted back to sleep, "Is there anything you need?" Eric asked softly. "What about your kids?"

"I dropped my sons off with Speedles on my way here," Robert replied quietly. "But thank you."

Eric nodded, "Your uncle's right, you know," he commented. "You're not a violent person."

"Thank you, Officer Delko," Robert spoke quietly. "Um, actually, there is something I need done."

Calleigh and Eric nodded, "Can you send an officer over to Speedles?" Robert asked. "My sons…"

* * *

 ** _Psychiatric Ward – Miami-Dade University Hospital_**

"…And how are you doing in school, champ?" Tim heard a quiet voice ask as he came into the unit and saw Tommy, who was wearing sweats, slippers, and a blue sweater, sitting at one of the tables with Emilio in his lap while Diana and Jason sat in other chairs. "Oh, Detective Speedle, hi there."

Tim sighed as Dr. Higgins came out, "Detective Speedle, I got your wife's call," she explained quietly.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked in a concerned voice, feeling something was wrong. "What…?"

Dr. Higgins went and sat at the table and Tim joined her, "Derek Stokes, Maxine Valera, and an unknown third party attacked Lieutenant Caine of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab at his home," she explained, having been briefed by Emily on the phone. "Your sister was concerned that they might come after you."

Tommy frowned, "What, those are the people that Jenny's living with now?" he asked quietly.

Diana nodded and Tommy sighed before hugging Emilio, "Look, I have no idea where she is and I honestly can't deal with it," he explained quietly. "Ever since Jenny beat up Tony Speedle, I have wanted nothing to do with her and she's tried calling and writing letters, but I've done my best to ignore it all."

"Is Lieutenant Caine all right?" Diana asked in a concerned voice. "Is there anything I can do?"

Tim sighed, "Maxine Valera and the unknown third party also attacked Ryan's apartment, but from what I hear, the third man was shot and Valera was captured," he explained. "Valera and Ryan fell through a window into the building's pool, but both of them are okay. He's over at CSI getting dried off…"

"Why is Jenny hanging out with such horrible people?" Tommy asked in a concerned voice.

Tim paused, "Derek Stokes is the father to Jenny's baby," he spoke quietly.

Silence filled the room and Diana's eyes widened in shock, but tears filled Tommy's eyes and he started crying while hugging Emilio, "This isn't the way I wanted grandchildren," he sobbed. "It's all my fault…"

"Jenny made choices that have nothing to do with you, Tommy," Diana spoke, stroking his hand.

Tommy sighed, "Emilio, you don't have to go to school today if you don't want," he spoke quietly, trying to compose himself. "Diana, if you need to go to work, I can have the boys with me here today."

"I'm not going to be able to focus on work after hearing this," Diana replied softly, her voice sad.

Tommy sighed, "I kept the letters from Jenny because I couldn't throw them away," he spoke quietly, gazing at Tim sadly. "If you think they might help you find her, you're welcome to go through them…"

"Don't cry, Daddy," Emilio spoke softly, hugging his dad because he hated to see him cry.

Tommy kissed Emilio's face, "I'll show you where Tommy keeps Jenny's letters," Diana offered.

* * *

 _ **Plaza Hotel – New York, New York**_

The sound of a ringing phone filled Grissom's ears and he slowly sat up in bed, sighing as he answered it, "Hello?" he said, trying to be quiet so he wouldn't wake Sara as she slept next to him. "Gil Grissom."

" _Griss, it's Warrick_ ," Warrick's voice filled the phone. " _I've been in Miami since I got suspended…_ "

Grissom frowned, but didn't say anything, " _Derek Stokes and two other people drove an SUV through Lieutenant Caine's home early this morning and beat the crap out of Lieutenant Caine_ ," Warrick explained in a concerned voice. " _Derek got away, but the other two were caught attacking Ryan Wolfe_."

"Who were the other two?" Grissom asked quietly as he got out of bed. "Why are you in Miami?"

Warrick's sigh filled the phone, " _I took copies of all the info we had on Ryan's abduction and I'm investigating Derek Stokes and Dennis Sackheim_ ," he replied. " _Sackheim's not in Miami anymore_."

"Well, where is Sackheim if he's not in Miami?" Grissom asked in a concerned voice.

Unknown to Grissom, Sara had woken and was listening to the conversation, "Look, Warrick, Sara and I are in New York trying to protect the Sullivan-Boscorelli family from Juliana Morrison because she attacked Danielle and John several days ago," Grissom said anxiously. "In Central Park."

Warrick didn't speak, so Grissom continued, "It seems, though, that she's calmed down and disappeared. We'll leave New York in charge of the situation and probably come home soon. Warrick, since you're suspended til January, could you keep staying with Ryan over Christmas and continue your investigation into Derek Stokes and Dennis Sackheim? I'd feel better knowing someone was there."

" _Sure_ ," Warrick replied in a calm voice, even though he was nervous. " _Merry Christmas, Gris_."

There was a click and Grissom sighed, "Why is Warrick in Miami?" Sara asked in a tired voice.

"Because he's still on suspension for the accident he had with Greg and that was the call of Ecklie and the sheriff, not mine," Grissom replied, turning to look at Sara. "They're nervous over Nick's lawsuit on behalf of Greg and so anything that's done to Greg, they take action on simply because they're scared."

Sara frowned, "And you really think Juliana's done causing issues?" she asked in a confused voice.

Grissom got back into bed and placed a hand on Sara's stomach, "No, but I think we should take a little time-out to look after ourselves and our babies," he replied in a kind voice. "At least for Christmas."

"By next Christmas, we'll have our hands full," Sara replied quietly. "We should take this Christmas to relax and be close to each other. We can either go home to Vegas or we can spend Christmas here."

Grissom looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything as he laid beside Sara, contemplating the future.

* * *

 ** _Crime Lab – Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"That's cute," Nick said as he came into the break room and saw Greg, Catherine, and Lenny decorating a Christmas tree that sat in the corner of the room. "Oh hey there, Catherine, Lenny; how are you?"

Catherine smiled, "Daddy went Christmas shopping," Lenny said eagerly as he strung some popcorn.

"Does Ecklie know you brought a tree and decorations in here?" Nick asked in a concerned voice.

Greg sighed, "I offered to work Christmas and Ecklie said I needed a tree to keep me company," he replied in a quiet, but calm voice, quietly putting hooks on glass balls. "Everyone else has families…"

Nick nodded, but he didn't look happy, "I'm flying to Texas for Christmas and my whole family's planning to be there because they almost lost me," he explained calmly. "Did Catherine invite you for turkey?"

Before Catherine or Greg could reply, Nick's phone went off and he fished it out of his pocket, "Hello?" Nick said in a pleasant voice, figuring that it was his parents or sisters calling. "This is Nick Stokes."

" _Nicko, you're gonna be an uncle_!" a slurred, but familiar voice spoke into the phone. " _Miss me, bro_?"

Realizing that Derek had somehow gotten his number and was now trying to find him again, Nick paled and began to breathe heavily enough that Catherine and Greg stared at him worriedly, " _I'm so sad you're not in New York or Miami anymore_!" the voice said. " _I wish we would have had more time!"_

White as a sheet, Nick set the phone on the table and buried his face in his hands, " _I knocked up a girl in New York and I got me a hottie in Miami_ ," Catherine and Greg heard Derek say. " _It's a shame that Lieutenant Caine took you away! Oh well, I know where to find you if I start to miss you, little brother_!"

Realizing that Derek was still after Nick, Catherine and Greg watched in horror as Nick fainted.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	5. Tender Shepherds of Mercy - December 20

_**December 20**_

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"We couldn't trace the number," Archie spoke in an apologetic voice as he pushed the cell-phone across the table to where Nick, Ecklie, Catherine, Grissom, Sara, Judge Stokes, and Jillian Stokes were sitting, all of them unnerved by Derek's call a week ago. "I'm really, really sorry, but it was impossible…"

Nick sighed anxiously, "I know you tried your best," he replied quietly. "I might get a new number."

Archie nodded, "Where is Mister Sanders?" Ecklie asked calmly. "The judge's inspection is today."

"Um, Greg's here, but he's just hiding," Archie replied nervously. "He's upset about what happened to Lieutenant Caine a week ago and he's just been quiet and somber ever since he heard it on the news."

Grissom frowned and gave Ecklie a look, "Don't look at me like that, Gil," Ecklie hissed. "You're acting as if I had something to do with that attack and I didn't. Rick Stetler's been phoning me mercilessly…"

"Because Ryan Wolfe was also attacked," Grissom replied calmly. "Or didn't you see the news?"

Ecklie sighed, "Of course I saw the news on that," he replied sternly. "A lab tech attacked him, right?"

"Former lab tech," Grissom corrected him. "Maxine Valera was fired for inappropriate behavior."

Judge Stokes sighed, "And no counseling has been provided to Mister Sanders over the incident?" he asked in a cold voice, giving Ecklie a look. "I'm sure he developed a friendship with Lieutenant Caine."

"I've been investigating Warrick Brown's joyride," Ecklie said apologetically. "On Greg's behalf."

Jillian suddenly looked disturbed, "How did Derek manage to go to college and university without us ever finding out?!" she said in an upset voice. "Doctor Grissom, that's what his file said, right?"

"I don't have any idea how Derek paid for school," Grissom replied. "It's not public record."

Judge Stokes nodded and Nick paled a bit, "Um, I need a little air," Nick said in a quiet voice.

"Do you want me to go with you, Nicky?" Jillian asked in a concerned voice.

Nodding, Nick slowly hauled himself to his feet with his crutches and left the room with his mother at his heels, "I'm sorry, Mom," he said anxiously as they got outside. "I don't know what got into me."

Sighing softly, Jillian helped Nick sit on a bench and gently rubbed his back as he exhaled softly.

* * *

 _ **Coral Way – Miami, Florida**_

"You didn't have to come today, Horatio," Calleigh spoke in an anxious voice as she walked over to the open passenger door of the Suburban where Horatio sat while Robert sat behind the wheel.

Horatio sighed as he gazed at the mess that used to be his front gate and nice home, "There are things in the mess that mean a great deal to me," he replied quietly, sighing as his casted arm twinged.

"Did you let Rick and Yelina know what happened?" Calleigh asked quietly, worried about him.

Horatio nodded, "Yelina is quite pregnant and her husband doesn't want her flying, but Rick and Catherine insisted on coming back as soon as they could," he replied in a tired voice. "I will not be personally collecting anything because of my arm and the fact I spent a week in the hospital…"

"Eric's on his way, but Speedle's with his family today," Calleigh replied softly. "Tripp went to Texas."

Horatio looked amused, as he was one of the few people who knew that Frank was in a long-distance relationship with Dr. Candace Stokes and had been since helping Nick go to Austin on the train, "All of the debris has been removed, so finding things should be easy," Calleigh spoke reassuringly.

"I only care about a few personal items," Horatio replied quietly. "The rest is replaceable."

Calleigh nodded, staying quiet even though she wanted to tell Horatio to go rest at his nephew's because he had come here straight from the hospital despite doctor's orders to rest. Robert got his keys out of the ignition and got out of the car wearing jeans, rubber boots, and a work shirt with long sleeves and his badge and gun clipped to his belt. He walked around the car to the passenger door.

"All set, Uncle Horatio?" Robert asked quietly. "You know, you don't have to do this…"

Swallowing hard, Horatio silently got out of the car and slowly walked across the lawn to the hole that used to be the majority of his home. Robert and Calleigh caught up with him quickly and watched him scan the area with his eyes, as his healing body didn't allow him to bend down and pick things up.

"Please pick the photos up," Horatio spoke in a tired voice as he went into his damaged bedroom.

Calleigh silently began to gather photos into a box she had gotten from the lab, but Robert followed his uncle into the part of the house that wasn't destroyed by the SUV. Robert reached the bedroom just in time to watch as his uncle silently retrieved a medium-sized metal box with a handle from inside of his closet and carry it over to the bed with his good arm. Horatio sat on the bed and sighed heavily.

"When my house was robbed, I was worried they took this," Horatio spoke in a tired voice.

Robert silently sat on the bed and watched his uncle open the box, "These are the things the police gave me years ago after they cleared your mother's apartment," Horatio explained quietly. "You were quite young and needed time to recover, so I decided to hold on to these things for you until you were older."

Nodding, Robert silently eyed the things and Horatio sighed softly, "There is another box of things I collected over the years as I raised you and both boxes are rightfully yours if you want them," Horatio spoke in a tired voice, ignoring the pain and tiredness that was rocketing through his healing body.

"No, they're yours," Robert spoke softly, seeing that his uncle was getting tired. "Are you okay?"

Horatio gazed at him, "I am tired, but this does need to be done," he replied in a quiet voice.

"It doesn't have to be all taken care of _today_ ," Robert spoke gently. "Where's the other box?"

Horatio sighed, "It's in the closet," he replied quietly. "I know you have other things to do."

"Natalia took BJ and Adam shopping," Robert replied gently. "So I could be here with you."

Robert silently got up, went over to the closet, and retrieved the other box, "Where are your wallet and things you want to take?" he asked in a concerned voice. "You really should take time to rest."

"My wallet was emptied of everything except my driver's license, badge, and my family photo, so it's not much use to me," Horatio replied quietly. "Derek Stokes also took all of Marisol's jewelry and the rings as well as whatever money I had in the house. He said something about Jenny needing baby things."

Having overheard Horatio's comment, Eric looked somber as he came through the door, "Hey, H, Calleigh said you were in here," he said in a quiet voice. "You didn't have to do this today."

"My dear nephew is of the same opinion and so I am only going to take a few things and find a place to rest," Horatio replied in a quiet voice. "I don't currently have any credit cards, but I'm sure…"

Robert sighed patiently, "I fixed up a bedroom for you at my house," he replied gently. "I have plenty of room and the boys will be very happy to see you since they weren't allowed to visit you in hospital."

"I was on the surgery floor and then in Intensive Care and hospitals do have their rules," Horatio replied in a quiet voice, prompting Eric to frown in confusion. "Eric, I was very badly bruised and doctors were worried that something might rupture, so they put me under 24/7 observation in a controlled unit."

Eric nodded, "I'm sorry about Mari's jewellery," he commented. "I know you were saving it."

"It doesn't matter," Horatio replied quietly. "Has Calleigh gathered the photos from…?"

Eric nodded and Horatio slowly got up, "I need to gather some clothes," Horatio spoke quietly.

* * *

 _ **Crime Lab - Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Ignoring the trembling in her hands, Jenny Wolfe silently stepped off of the bus and gazed at the large building in front of her. She had been given very nice jewellery and a lovely engagement ring by Derek Stokes several days ago as gifts along with money for their baby, but he hadn't told her where they had come from. When Jenny had seen the news, however, she had been horrified to learn that the ring and other gifts had been stolen from Lieutenant Caine's house after it had been damaged by an SUV.

Despite the fact that he had fathered her baby and someone else's, Derek often kept to himself and was closely monitored by Ivan and Clavo. Jenny had felt immensely uncomfortable with the fact that her gifts were stolen property and knew that she couldn't turn to her family for help because of what she had done to Tony and they would turn her in to the police. Desperate to make things right even if it meant going to jail, Jenny had taken her few personal things, some clothes, and the jewellery and had managed to get a bus to Las Vegas from Miami with the cash because Vegas was a cheap destination.

When she had gotten to Vegas, Jenny had used a phone book to find out where the Crime Lab was and had gotten a local bus there. She was hungry, tired, and overwhelmed, but she was repentant simply because Derek had bragged about beating Lieutenant Caine to death before stealing his things and as much as she didn't like the police, she didn't think Derek should have beat an innocent cop to death.

Sighing heavily, Jenny silently made her way across the sand and froze when she saw a dark-haired older woman sitting on a bench near the building with a middle-aged man who resembled Derek, but looked so much younger, "Excuse me, are you a cop?" she asked as she approached the two strange people.

"I'm a Crime Scene Investigator," Nick replied, gazing up at Jenny quizzically. "How can I help you?"

Jenny sighed, "My name's Jenny Wolfe," she spoke quietly. "I've come to report some crimes…"

Jillian suddenly became very quiet as she eyed Jenny's stomach, "Crimes?" Nick asked quietly.

"The father of my baby beat a Crime Lab Lieutenant in Miami up and gave me some of the guy's personal property and cash that he stole," Jenny explained anxiously. "I wanna give it back."

Nick frowned, "Why'd you come here from Miami?" he asked calmly. "Why not stay there?"

Jenny shrugged silently, "My family's under enough stress and this was the cheapest place to go on the bus," she replied quietly. "Can someone here help me or do I need to go to the police station?"

Nick slowly got up on his crutches and led Jenny into the building, frowning when he noticed that Jenny was trembling and looked tired, "When's the last time you ate?" he asked in a worried voice.

"After I got off the bus in Las Vegas, I got some snacks from a nearby store," Jenny replied quietly.

Nick nodded and sighed when Greg came into view, "Hey Greggo, I need your help," he said.

Greg nodded, "Grissom's still in meeting with the judge and Ecklie, so sure," he replied quietly.

"You two are really nice for being law enforcement," Jenny replied softly. "Who are you?"

Nick smiled, "I'm Nick Stokes and my buddy here is Greg Sanders," he replied kindly.

Quickly realizing that Nick was Derek's brother, Jenny turned very pale and threw up before breaking into anxious sobs that were loud enough that everyone in the building gathered in the foyer including Judge Stokes, Grissom, and Ecklie. Overwhelmed by the crowd of people, Jenny leaned against the wall and sank to the floor just feet away from the vomit. She cursed herself for running into the Stokes's.

"This isn't a show, people!" Grissom spoke up in an annoyed voice. "Go back to what you were doing!"

Everyone except for Judge Stokes, Greg, Nick, Grissom, and Catherine left the foyer, "Greg, can you please call for an ambulance?" Grissom asked kindly. "Jenny, my name is Gil Grissom…"

Greg nodded and went around the desk, ignoring Ecklie's look as he quickly called 9-1-1.

"The stuff's in my bag, sir," Jenny replied shakily, patting her backpack. "With all that I brought."

Grissom nodded, "Derek's the father, isn't he?" Jillian asked quietly, gazing gently at Jenny.

Nick's eyes went wide, but Jenny nodded and Grissom put gloves on before going over to Jenny, "Do you mind if I look through your bag for Lieutenant Caine's property?" Grissom asked in a kind voice.

Jenny shrugged and Grissom silently took the bag and placed it on the desk, "I don't think jail time will be necessary, young lady," Ecklie spoke calmly, much to the surprise of everyone else. "I do, however, think your parents need to be notified since I don't think they know where you are or that you're…"

Nodding, Jenny placed her hands over the stomach of her sweatshirt and sighed, "Besides being obviously pregnant, are you hurt anywhere else?" Ecklie asked in a concerned voice. "Or sick?"

"I'd rather not talk about it in front of Derek's family," Jenny spoke quietly. "I can't…"

Judge Stokes bit his lip because he was very familiar with Jenny's response and figured that Derek had been abusive, "Catherine, go with Miss Wolfe to the hospital," Ecklie ordered in a commanding voice as flashing lights and sirens approached the building. "Gil, Stokes, go process the bag of her stuff…"

"Um, I'd like to help Catherine, actually," Nick spoke up nervously. "I feel like it's the right thing to do."

Ecklie sighed, but nodded, "Mister Sanders, it's time for us to talk," Judge Stokes spoke quietly.

Nodding, Greg followed Judge Stokes off down a hallway as paramedics came in and began quietly talking to Jenny, "Nick and I are riding to the hospital," Catherine said, gazing at the paramedics.

Sighing softly, Ecklie went behind the desk, "I'll take care of phoning your family, Miss Wolfe," he said in an unusually quiet voice as he picked up the phone. "Ryan Wolfe is your uncle, right? I'll call him."

Jenny nodded, but didn't say anything, "Why are you suddenly being so nice, Conrad?" Grissom asked.

"She reminds me of my daughter," Ecklie explained in a quiet, somber voice. "My estranged daughter."

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida**_

"This is Ryan Wolfe," Ryan said in a quiet voice, holding his cell-phone tightly against his ear as he walked down the beach from the under-construction Family Center where Tim, Emily, Tommy, and their families, and Warrick were all helping with construction and design. "I don't recognize the number…"

There was a silence, " _This is Conrad Ecklie from the Las Vegas Crime Lab, Officer Wolfe_ ," Ecklie's calm, but somber voice filled the phone. " _I thought you should know that your niece, Jenny, showed up at the Crime Lab this morning and she's currently on her way to Desert Palms Hospital for medical treatment_."

Ryan's eyes widened in shock, "Is Jenny okay?" he asked in a concerned voice. "How did she get there?"

" _Jenny mentioned coming to Vegas by bus and she said that Derek Stokes gave her some jewellery that was stolen from Lieutenant Caine's home_ ," Ecklie's voice replied. " _She turned it over to the Crime Lab._ "

Ryan sighed, "Is she all right?" he asked in a semi-annoyed voice. "She's my brother's only daughter."

" _Besides being pregnant, she's very tired and scared_ ," Ecklie replied quietly. " _That's all I know_."

There was a click and Ryan silently put his phone away, sighing heavily as he walked back up the beach and into the building. He could see Tommy working quietly on installing booths in the restaurant area along with Anthony, Tony, and other workers that Emily had hired to put the restaurant together. Emily was sitting in a soft chair, silently watching as Tim massaged her feet while Diana and Emilio played with James and Julliet in a corner of the center that was finished and filled with a few educational toys.

Swallowing hard, Ryan silently walked over to Tommy, "Hey, Tommy," he spoke softly. "Got a sec?"

Nodding, Tommy set his hammer and nails down on top of the set of instructions that explained how each booth was put together, "Is it about my progress meeting before Christmas?" he asked quietly.

"No," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice, his expression somber. "I got a call from Las Vegas Crime Lab about Jenny being in Las Vegas. She collapsed at the Crime Lab, so they sent her to Desert Palms Hospital."

Tommy's eyes widened, "Las Vegas?" he asked quietly. "How did Jenny get to Las Vegas?"

"Derek Stokes gave her money for the baby and she used it to get a bus ticket," Ryan replied softly.

Tommy looked horrified, "Ryan, I know that Lieutenant Caine is going to want to make her accountable for what Derek did," he spoke quietly. "I need you to call him and explain things because I can't…"

Swallowing hard, Tommy silently sat down on the carpet, "The police know that Jenny is dating Derek Stokes and they'll want to arrest her for what she did to Tony Speedle," he spoke shakily, his voice trembling with every word. "Jenny's pregnant and she doesn't need to go to jail for assault. If I have to, I'll go back to prison and serve the rest of the five years behind bars so my daughter doesn't have to…"

Ryan slowly sat on the floor, "The Speedles never pressed charges against Jenny for that," he replied in a concerned voice. "She gave Lieutenant Caine's jewellery to the Vegas Crime Lab. I guess Derek Stokes…"

Tommy sighed weakly and massaged his forehead while closing his eyes, "I'm such a terrible father," he spoke in a weak voice, unaware that he was being watched. "Ryan, if you want to stop being my advocate with Dr. Higgins and the prison board, I'll understand. I haven't been a good example…"

"Tommy, you've made real progress since you've been under Dr. Higgins's care and on medication for your PTSD," Ryan replied quietly. "You've been in care only two and a half months, but you're doing really well and you're going to keep doing really well as long as you focus on the positive."

There was a silence as Emily silently approached them, "Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Jenny's in a Las Vegas hospital and she had Lieutenant Caine's jewellery and money on her because Derek Stokes gave them to her," Tommy spoke in a faint voice. "I don't know what to do or think…"

Emily looked concerned, but nodded calmly and walked over to Diana to explain the situation because it was clear that Diana was looking worried about Tommy's sudden sadness, "I…I don't suppose I'd be allowed to talk with whoever talked to you?" Tommy asked quietly. "About my daughter?"

"I think his name was Conrad Ecklie," Ryan replied quietly. "And why wouldn't you be allowed?"

Tommy sighed and opened his eyes, "Jenny's over 18 and she has the choice," he spoke quietly. "She sent me letters saying she loves me and she feels bad for what I went through, but does she really?"

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

"You got schoolwork to do," Bosco said in a tired voice as he lay tucked into a hospital bed with an IV in one arm that was giving him chemotherapy from a machine while John sat beside the bed. "Go do it."

John sighed softly, "Finals are over and the co-op's done until January, Dad," he replied gently. "Besides, since Mom and Aunt Faith are off shopping with Mikey and Emily, someone needs to drive you home."

"I thought you had plans with Emily Yokas and Tommy?" Bosco asked softly. "What happened?"

John nodded, "Emily bailed cause she had an appointment and Tommy's helping his dad with Kylie cause his mom had to work," he replied quietly. "Uncle Carlos is doing better, but he's still on crutches."

"I don't know how long I'm gonna be here for, kiddo," Bosco replied groggily. "Could be overnight."

John sighed, "Sleeping through the chemo will make it easier on you," he replied in a kind voice.

Bosco sighed, "If I have to stay the night, call your mom or grandparents to come get you so you can get some rest at home," he said in a sleepy voice. "Hopefully, I can go home after the chemo, though."

"Dad, rest," John spoke gently, patting Bosco's hand. "I brought stuff to read while you sleep."

Bosco nodded and closed his eyes, too exhausted to argue. John silently grabbed the blanket from the end of the bed and gently covered the socks, sweats, and NYPD hoodie his father had worn that day before grabbing a chair. As John sat beside the bed, Bosco shifted, but didn't open his eyes.

"Hey, John, it's close to lunch time," Bosco's sleepy voice spoke. "Go get yourself something to eat."

 _Dad's right. I took my insulin before we came and I need to._ John realized as he slowly got up with his diabetes bag on his back, "I'll go to the cafeteria and come back after," he promised in a kind voice.

Bosco mumbled a reply and John silently left the room, walking quickly through the hallways to the cafeteria with the intent of getting lunch and then going back to his father as quickly as he could without making himself sick. He was surprised, however, to see Emily Yokas sitting alone at a corner table wearing boots, sweats, and a baggy sweatshirt while eating a sandwich. John quickly got a tray, filled it with a balanced meal, and then walked over to her table. Emily smiled at him and nodded silently.

"Hey," John said kindly as he sat down and smiled at Emily. "I thought you had an appointment?"

Emily Yokas nodded and sighed, "I was talking to Child and Family Services," she replied softly, placing a hand over her abdomen. "I've thought about it and I can't keep this baby. I'm giving it up for adoption."

John nodded and looked thoughtful, "Derek Stokes is the father and I really doubt he's interested in doing anything but drugs and women," Emily Yokas explained softly. "I want the baby to have a good life and I talked to my mom and stepdad about it. I don't think I can handle raising a child right now."

"You'll have a friend to support you," John spoke quietly. "I know it had to be a hard decision."

Emily Yokas sighed softly, "I just hope I didn't hurt the baby or Derek didn't hurt it by the bad stuff we did to our bodies," she replied in a concerned voice. "I'm so sorry that I haven't been nicer to you."

John sighed, "I'm glad you're doing better," he replied quietly as he began to eat. "Let's eat together."

"What are you doing here five days before Christmas, anyway?" Emily Yokas asked in a worried voice.

John silently ate some food before sighing, "Dad's last chemo treatment before the holidays," he replied quietly. "He's was diagnosed with Stage 2 testicular cancer on the first and he's had surgery for it."

Emily Yokas looked shocked, "My dad wants it kept secret so people don't feel sorry for him, but I think he's wrong and our family could use the support," John commented quietly. "He sent me in here to eat."

"You don't want to get sick," Emily Yokas agreed softly. "Then you won't be able to help him."

John nodded and quietly finished his meal, "Can I say hi to Uncle Bosco?" Emily Yokas asked quietly.

"My dad's asleep right now, but we should be home by suppertime," John replied softly. "You can come over if you want and get the gifts I never got to give you and your family cause of the fight in the park."

Emily Yokas nodded, "How's university and working at the Crime Lab?" she asked softly. "I heard…"

Sensing that Emily wanted friendly company more than anything, John quietly told her about his life.

* * *

 _ **Coconut Grove –Miami, Florida**_

Emotionally overwhelmed and exhausted from going through his damaged home, Horatio silently laid down on the bed that was in the very large guest suite within his nephew's home. The suite had a bedroom area and a bathroom, so Horatio could have as much privacy as he needed or wanted.

After leaving his house with his nephew, Horatio had slowly made his way upstairs while Robert had gone to make BJ, Adam, and himself some lunch because the boys were hungry. Horatio, however, had no appetite for food and had a slight headache; all he wanted to do was rest in a quiet place.

Sighing softly, Horatio shifted until his back was supported by pillows and then he lay there, staring quietly up at the ceiling with only his thoughts for company. Part of him was very grateful to be alive and yet, part of him wished that Derek Stokes had killed him; then he would have been with Marisol again.

Nausea shot through Horatio as he closed his eyes and that prompted him to get up and slowly make his way into the bathroom. Ignoring the trembling in his body, Horatio knelt on the floor and promptly lost the contents of his stomach in the toilet. Granted, he hadn't eaten much that day, but he still felt ill.

Once he was sure he wouldn't throw up again, Horatio painstakingly pulled himself up and sat on the edge of the tub. Footsteps filled the room and Horatio sighed as Robert came into the bathroom.

"I came up to ask you if you needed anything," Robert spoke gently as he sat on the edge of the tub and put a gentle arm around his uncle. "I heard you throwing up and I figured it was the pain medication."

Horatio sighed, "That and not eating much today," he replied groggily. "I'm sorry I'm such trouble."

"You're not trouble," Robert replied patiently. "You've been through something terrible."

Robert silently rubbed his uncle's back, "How about I help you change into some clean clothes and you have some of the herbal tea I brought upstairs before you sleep?" he suggested softly. "Chamomile."

Horatio nodded, but remained quiet as Robert got some pajama-like clothes from his bag and helped him change out of the dress shirt and pants he had insisted on wearing out of the hospital, "Bobby, your sons need you," he spoke in a quiet voice as he was helped up and back into the bedroom. "They…"

"Are quite happy with their lunch and watching Christmas shows on television," Robert replied kindly.

Horatio managed to get into bed and drink the entire cup of chamomile tea before laying down so that pillows were under his back. As he drifted off to sleep, he could feel his nephew gently tuck him in.

* * *

 ** _Desert Palms Hospital – Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Hi, Jenny, I'm Catherine Willows," Catherine said in a kind voice as she came into the hospital room where Jenny was being treated with IV's and hooked to a fetal monitor. "How are you doing?"

Jenny sighed, "Terrified now that I've walked right into the Stokes family," she replied softly. "The sex between Derek and I wasn't consensual and I don't want Derek's parents taking the baby away."

"Is that why Nick and his mother are in the waiting room?" Catherine asked gently.

Jenny nodded, "My parents are in Miami and my dad's recovering from some really bad stuff my grandma did to him, so I don't expect them to come because I've only made him sad with my bad choices," she explained quietly. "Derek went off with Clavo to party after he gave me the jewellery and money as gifts, so I went to the bus station and this was the cheapest place to go from Miami."

"Well, you don't have to talk to anyone you don't want to," Catherine replied as she sat beside the bed.

Jenny sighed, "I hope Lieutenant Caine is okay," she spoke shakily. "He's my uncle's boss."

"I've been in touch with Lieutenant Caine's nephew and Lieutenant Caine is all right except for a broken arm and broken ribs," Catherine replied, purposely leaving out the fact that Horatio spent a week in the hospital because Jenny didn't need to know that. "Is there anyone you want me to call for you?"

Jenny sighed softly, "I would love to talk to my parents, but I don't know if they want to talk to me," she said in a tired voice. "I might try and get a little sleep. I was too scared to sleep for very long on the bus."

Catherine nodded, "A uniformed officer will be outside for protection, but someone from the Crime Lab will be in and out most of the time," she explained gently. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Jenny's gaze, however, was on the hallway, "Is that Greg Sanders from the lab?" she asked softly.

Catherine turned and was surprised to see Greg lingering at the door with bags in his hands, "Do you want him to come in?" she asked in a concerned voice. "If he's making you uncomfortable, I can…"

"No, he can come in," Jenny replied softly. "He seemed really nice and he called 9-1-1 to help me."

Catherine motioned for Greg to come in and he did, "Um, I thought I'd get you some stuff," Greg spoke nervously as he approached the bed. "I went to this little mini mall between here and the Crime Lab."

"I thought you were working?" Catherine asked quietly, sensing that Greg wasn't telling her something.

Greg shrugged and set the bags on the bed, "I don't know what you like in the way of clothes, but I brought you other stuff," he said, ignoring Catherine on purpose. "Are you up to looking at it?"

"That's really nice of you," Jenny replied in a tired voice, smiling at Greg. "I'm all alone out here…"

Greg nodded, "I was about to sleep, but would you stay with me, Greg?" Jenny asked softly. "You were so kind to call for help and to bring me things. I'd feel better if I had someone strong protecting me."

"Sure," Greg replied calmly as if he wasn't bothered about being at work. "I'll make myself comfy."

Catherine gave Greg a look, but got up so Greg could sit down, "You should go spend time with Rick and Lenny," Greg said in a quiet voice, smiling sadly as Jenny slowly fell asleep. "I can stay for a long time."

Wondering why Greg wasn't at the lab working or talking to the judge, Catherine silently left the hospital room and moved into the waiting area, deeply surprised when she saw that Nick and Grissom were talking quietly and that Nick's mother was nowhere to be seen, "...Nick, Grissom?" she called out.

"Greg's got a few days off since a new CSI is coming on board and Ecklie wants to make sure that she gets the lay of the land," Grissom explained calmly. "He volunteered to come sit with Jenny."

Catherine frowned, "A new CSI was hired even though Greg's field trained?" she asked angrily.

"Ecklie said that having Greg in the field without an interpreter and extra backup is a hazard, but Judge Stokes disagrees and they're fighting over that," Grissom explained calmly. "Nick's mother went to get Jenny some maternity clothes and Nick decided to stick around, but he says Jenny is afraid of him."

Catherine nodded, "She thinks the Stokes's want to take the baby," she replied in a worried voice.

Nick's eyes widened in shock, "I'm not Derek and my parents only want to be grandparents," he replied in a confused, concerned voice. "They wanna talk to Jenny and Ecklie got a hold of Ryan about Jenny…"

"Ryan will probably talk to Jenny's parents," Catherine mused softly. "Anyway, I hope he does."

* * *

 _ **Psychiatric Unit – Miami-Dade University Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

Dr. Higgins sighed patiently as she sat down in a chair across from the couch where Tommy was sitting with Ryan, Emily, and Diana. After learning about Jenny's location, Tommy had asked to be taken back to the hospital for counseling and Tim had taken James, Julliet, Emilio, and Jason back to his parents' house for lunch while Emily, Ryan, and Diana had come to the hospital to support Tommy.

"I'm not sure what to do or what I can do," Tommy spoke shakily. "She's my daughter…"

Dr. Higgins nodded, "I've been here for two and a half months and I know I'm doing better, but I'm not better," Tommy spoke shakily. "I'm serving a sentence here, so I'm not free to go and help Jenny and I'm not going to ask Ryan to do it because he's been through enough and I know he hates Las Vegas."

"If this department thinks such action would benefit you and the process of healing you're going through, I can authorize travel," Dr. Higgins replied quietly. "I'm sure your daughter would want that."

Tommy sighed softly, "Las Vegas is too intense of a city," he spoke shakily. "It reminds me of things…"

"That's why I'd recommend your wife and sons go with you," Dr. Higgins replied softly. "Safety."

Diana took Tommy's hand and squeezed it, "I…I'd be willing to go if it would help," Ryan spoke up.

"You were almost killed there," Tommy spoke anxiously, his face ashen. "I thought…"

Ryan sighed, but didn't say anything, "I'll make the arrangements," Diana spoke softly.

"I…okay," Tommy spoke shakily, overwhelmed. "Am I allowed to take my meds with me there?"

Dr. Higgins nodded, "Tommy, you look exhausted and I'm sure this has been a lot to deal with today," she spoke gently. "While your wife makes arrangements, may I suggest that you get a little rest?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Tommy spoke quietly as he slowly got up. "I have a migraine."

Ryan silently got up and followed Tommy from the room while Emily and Diana stayed behind, "Ryan, you don't have to come," Tommy spoke quietly as they reached his room. "I know it will be hard…"

"Maybe it'll help me remember things," Ryan replied calmly. "Besides, I'll be able to visit Stetler."

Tommy sighed and laid down on his bed, staying quiet for several moments and only looking up as Diana came into the room, "Doctor Higgins said you can use a computer in the study room to book the trip," she spoke softly. "Emily went home to talk to her family because she also wants to come with us."

Tommy sighed, "I do _not_ want to stay on the Strip," he replied firmly. "It's too much of a temptation."

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

The department store was unusually quiet for the time of day and closeness to Christmas, but Danielle was grateful for it and quietly nestled herself and the stroller holding Michael and Emily in the children's section of the store. Faith had gone off briefly to look for presents and maternity clothes for Emily. Her parents had stayed at the house with David and Ellie, as none of them had wanted to go outside and John had taken Maurice to chemo.

Despite it being the Christmas holidays and the first Christmas of her last children, Danielle felt intense sadness because Maurice's cancer diagnosis was still very fresh and the outcome was uncertain. Her parents would soon welcome a child of their own and if something happened to Maurice, she would be alone with five children that needed looking after. The thought of being alone brought tears to her eyes because she loved her husband.

As if sensing his mother's sadness, Michael suddenly burst into tears and his wails filled the air, but Emily silently went to sleep because she was comfortable in the warm store, "Oh, Mikey," Danielle spoke softly as she gently got him out of the stroller and held him. "You don't like being out much, do you? I promise, we'll go home soon."

Sighing softly, Danielle held Michael close while moving the double stroller over to a section of the store that was built specifically for moms and babies. Making sure the stroller holding Emily was close so she could watch Emily sleep, Danielle sat in one of the soft chairs and gave Michael a gentle kiss on the face.

"Even if something happens to your daddy, you and your brothers and sisters will still have me and I'll do my best with you all," Danielle spoke softly. "Your daddy, though, is tough and will fight the cancer and he'll beat it…"

Danielle suddenly trailed off because she knew that although Maurice was tough and would fight the cancer, he too wasn't sure if he could beat it. He had been sick for a small while since the cancer was at Stage 2 and the chemo was aggressive. Could Maurice really endure six months of intense treatment and survive it all?

As Danielle sat there with Michael in her arms and Emily at her side in the stroller, she was unaware that her crying and quiet talking had been overheard by Kim, who had brought Joey to see Santa and to shop for Jimmy. Jimmy had mentioned seeing Bosco get sick one day while in Bed-Stuy visiting Ty, but the fact Danielle was saying Bosco had cancer deeply horrified Kim.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	6. Changing Comfort Zones

_**December 21**_

 _ **Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida**_

Feeling a gentle hand on his arm prompted Robert to slowly open his eyes and sigh tiredly when he saw Natalia sitting on the edge of the bed, "BJ let me in," Natalia explained softly. "He got up early and made Horatio some tea and stuff, but I think he and Adam went back to bed. Horatio's also still asleep."

"I was up late last night on the phone trying to see if the police had any information on why my uncle was attacked, but Valera isn't talking," Robert replied in a tired voice. "She's not telling where Derek Stokes and the third guy are either even though she's going to get into a lot of trouble for the attack."

Natalia nodded and Robert slowly sat up, "It's good to see you," he spoke softly, taking her hands.

"I'm sorry I haven't been by, but with Horatio down, we're all working extra shifts," Natalia spoke softly, knowing that Robert would understand because he had worked shifts in the last week. "Forgive me?"

Robert responded by kissing her gently, "I have to go to work a little later, but I should be back by dinner and I also have day shifts til the 24th," Natalia spoke softly. "I should have Christmas Eve and Day off."

"Chief Burton was very nice to give me time off so I could be help to my uncle, but I'll be working hard to make up for it in January," Robert replied softly. "We just have to remember to be professional…"

Natalia nodded, "Do you have time for some cocoa before you go?" Robert asked in a tired voice.

"Sweetie, it's only like six," Natalia replied softly. "I heard you didn't get to bed until after midnight."

Robert shuffled over and Natalia laid down next to him, "I love you, Natalia," he spoke softly.

"I love you too, Bobby," Natalia replied in a soft voice. "I wish I could be here for you more."

Robert smiled, "You are always in my heart," he replied. "I want to marry you when we are ready."

Natalia looked pleased as Robert sat up, "I'll nap later on," he said softly. "Have cocoa with me?"

Natalia nodded and followed Robert downstairs, but as they moved to the kitchen, there was a knock at the door, "Just a moment," Robert said softly as he moved to the door. "Probably a paperboy."

As Robert opened the door, however, he was surprised to see Flack standing there in a suit and a trenchoat, "Donnie?" he asked in a surprised voice, his eyes wide. "What are you doing in Miami?"

"The attack on your uncle was all over the news and your lady friend here told me that you've been struggling to balance work, your kids, and life since it happened," Flack replied calmly. "I take it you told her that we were best buddies back in New York and she said that a visit from me would help you a lot."

Robert's eyes filled with tears and he immediately kissed Natalia deeply before hugging Flack, "If you want to stay here, there's room," he offered in a kind voice. "I have a very nice basement suite and my brother-in-law and his family aren't going to make it back to Miami until sometime after Christmas."

Flack nodded, "Merry Christmas," Natalia said, smiling at Robert. "I have to go get ready for work."

Once Natalia was gone, Robert closed the door, "Oh, I was asked by Danielle to relay a message," Flack commented softly, his smile fading. "Boscorelli got diagnosed with cancer earlier this month; it's Stage 2 testicular and he's currently undergoing chemo for it. He's really scared to let people know about it."

Robert sighed, "Bosco was never one to open up about anything personal," he spoke quietly. "I'll call them a bit later on and see if I can do anything. Maybe I can send them a little extra money…"

"I see you put the NYPD settlement to good use," Flack commented, looking around the house.

Robert nodded, "It was their fault I couldn't get Amanda into a mental hospital on the health insurance because they said it wasn't a priority," he replied in a firm voice. "I tried for many years to get her committed, but NYPD and the courts stalled it so long with bureaucratic crap that I was abused, my children were abused, and my daughter is now dead because Amanda was denied treatment."

"And this all came out when IAB tried to summon you for questioning?" Flack asked, stunned.

Robert sighed, "I kept every document and there was very little choice but to give me a multi-million dollar settlement for their mistakes," he replied sternly. "I was able to leave New York with what I had left and start over here. I just wish that I could move Maggie's remains here into a quiet cemetery, but I think it would be too much emotionally right now. I'm doing my best to make a fresh life here, Donnie."

"Are you gonna marry that lady you kissed?" Flack asked in a kind voice. "I'm sure you love her."

Robert sighed, "Come have some cocoa with me," he replied tiredly. "I'll explain the situation."

* * *

 _ **The Palms Hotel – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Visiting hours aren't until eight a.m., so why are you up already?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice as he came into The Eatery and saw Tommy, who had gone to bed right after their arrival at midnight last night, seated at one of the tables in sweats, sneakers, and a hoodie drinking a tall hot chocolate.

Tommy sighed, "I needed something to down my meds with and I didn't want to wake anyone," he replied in a quiet voice, gazing up at Ryan. "I saw this place last night, but I was tired from the flight."

"You're anxious about visiting Jenny, aren't you?" Ryan asked quietly, sitting at the table.

Tommy nodded, "Diana talked to her on the phone last night while I was in bed, so Jenny knows we're here," he spoke quietly. "Jenny told Diana that Derek Stokes's parents are here and wanting to meet…"

Ryan sighed, but didn't say anything, "Diana said that Bill Stokes is a federal judge and I've been to jail, so I'm sure they've got a pretty poor opinion of me," Tommy spoke quietly. "I'm nervous to go…"

The two sat in silence for several moments before Ryan looked at his brother, "I'm not sure I can do it," Tommy spoke in an ashamed voice. "I know Diana and I decided to go there together, but I…"

"You can handle this," Ryan replied in a quiet voice. "I know you're scared, but you can do this."

Tommy sighed, "What are you going to be doing while Diana and I are at the hospital since Jason and Emilio will be with Tim, Emily, and their kids?" he asked with a sigh. "I know you hate being here."

"While I was recovering in the hospital, I was told that a guy named Sam Braun was the one who called Rescue for me and I want to see if I can find him," Ryan spoke quietly. "To thank him for his help."

Tommy looked concerned, "Ryan, are you sure you should be running around Vegas alone?" he asked softly, giving his younger brother a worried look. "Something terrible happened to you here."

"I'll be okay," Ryan spoke softly. "This trip is about you and Diana reconnecting with your kids…"

Tommy frowned, "Ryan, this is a family trip," he replied quietly. "I feel bad because this is hurting you."

"I'm trying not to let it," Ryan replied calmly. "Maybe we're both up too early and need more sleep."

Tommy sighed and got up, throwing his empty cup away as he did so, "You could be right," he replied in a quiet voice, frowning when he saw that Ryan was suddenly looking past him. "Ryan, what is it?"

Ryan, however, wasn't listening to him because he had suddenly noticed a blonde-haired woman in a pant-suit come into The Eatery with a backpack looking tired, "Hey, ma'am, can I help you?" he asked kindly, putting on his best smile as he approached the woman. "Can I buy you some breakfast?"

"Sofia Curtis," Sofia replied in a delighted, slightly amused voice. "That would be very kind of you."

Ryan nodded, "My name's Ryan Wolfe," he replied calmly. "Where would you like to eat this morning?"

As Ryan and Sofia silently walked off towards a food kiosk, Tommy silently made his way back upstairs to the suite where he, Diana, Jason, Emilio, Tim, Emily, James, Julliet, and Ryan were staying. James was sitting alone on the couch in the living room with a blanket around his small body, the remote in his lap, and a Christmas cartoon on TV. The volume was low and James looked perfectly comfortable there.

"Hey there, James, what are you doing out of bed?" Tommy asked quietly. "It's really early."

James shrugged and yawned, so Tommy silently joined him on the couch, "I didn't think your mom and dad taught you how to use the remote in here," Tommy spoke quietly. "What are you watching?"

"Cwistmas," James replied in a sleepy voice as he looked up at his uncle. "I'm sweepy."

Tommy looked surprised when James rested his head on his lap, "Too loud," James said sleepily.

"Well, let's turn the TV off, then," Tommy replied, taking the remote and turning the TV off.

James exhaled softly and went to sleep, "Is that where he got to?" Tommy heard a soft voice say.

Emily, who had woke up to the sound of the TV, came into view, "James has a habit of waking up at odd hours," she explained in a quiet voice, smiling at her oldest brother. "Why are you up so early?"

"I went to the McDonald's to get something to wash my meds down with and Ryan found me down there," Tommy replied, gazing at her. "He met up with some blonde lady and offered to buy her breakfast after they exchanged names. I was tired, so I came back up here and found James."

Emily looked both amused and concerned, "Ryan offered to buy some lady breakfast because he thought she was cute?" she repeated in a confused voice. "I hope it wasn't a prostitute."

"I don't think it was," Tommy replied quietly. "She was fully covered and dressed in a business suit."

Emily nodded, "Jenny's going to be happy to see you, Tommy," she spoke softly. "I know she will."

Before Tommy could reply, Emily gently lifted the soundly sleeping James and his blanket from the couch and carried him back into the bedroom that she and Tim shared with James and Julliet.

* * *

 _ **Coconut Grove – Miami, Florida**_

As Flack entered the house with his suitcase in hand after parking his rental car in the driveway, he was serenaded by crying, "It's okay, buddy," he heard Robert say gently. "BJ, please take those to the wash."

Flack watched as BJ came down the stairs carrying a laundry basket filled with sheets and blankets, "Uncle Donnie?" BJ asked quietly, staring at him in confusion. "What are you doing in Miami?"

"I came to visit for Christmas," Flack replied calmly. "BJ, what are you doing with those sheets?"

BJ sighed, "Adam gets bad dreams sometimes and he woke up crying and threw up," he replied quietly. "My dad taught me to do laundry, so I gotta go throw these in while he cleans Adam and the bed up."

Flack cringed, "Adam's had nightmares ever since Derek Stokes tried to touch him," BJ explained, sighing as he carried the basket into the kitchen and saw that Flack was following. "It was really bad…"

Horrified, as he hadn't heard that, Flack silently watched as BJ loaded the washing machine, put soap in, and started the cycle, "Uncle Horatio's probably awake," BJ spoke softly. "He's supposed to be resting."

Flack nodded and watched as BJ got a box of cereal, some bowls, some milk, and some spoons out, "Adam and I both go over to Mrs. Speedle's for homeschool cause a bad guy tried to shoot up my school during basketball practice," BJ spoke quietly. "My dad yelled at Adam's school for being careless."

"Your dad yelled?" Flack asked, deeply shocked that the very quiet Robert Caine would actually yell.

There was a silence as Robert came into the kitchen leading Adam, who was wearing clean pajamas, by the hand, "BJ, it's early," he said quietly. "You and Adam can go sleep in my bed for a few hours, okay? Your great uncle is awake and he's having a shower, but he says he wants to read you guys a book."

"Daddy, are you going to go back to bed too?" Adam asked quietly. "You look tired."

Robert sighed, "Maybe in a little while," he replied softly. "I have to take care of the garden."

BJ nodded and took Adam's hand as they left the kitchen, "BJ told me what happened," Flack stated.

"I know that Derek Stokes is still in Miami and I'm powerless to do anything about it even though he almost killed the man I see as a father and almost molested my youngest son," Robert growled, suddenly feeling frustrated and angry. "Maxine Valera got caught after she tried to attack Ryan Wolfe's home, but she refuses to say where Derek is. I was given time off so the attack could be investigated."

Flack frowned, "I'm glad you're here, Donnie," Robert said quietly. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Um, I'm actually a little tired and I might have a nap," Flack replied calmly. "It was a late flight."

Robert nodded and watched as Flack took his things downstairs before silently going upstairs, "…I know we weren't together very long, but I miss you every day and I hate that you're not here with me," he heard a quiet, slightly tired voice carry from his uncle's bedroom. "Everything's so much harder…"

Swallowing hard, Robert silently walked down the hallway to the room where he kept the few things he had brought from New York and stored because it was too painful to have them out. He stared at the dusty boxes for a few moments before closing the door and moving back down the hallway.

His uncle's bedroom door was open and Robert was relieved to see that his uncle was now back asleep instead of trying to ignore his pain. Sighing, the younger Caine returned to his own bedroom and found BJ asleep on the end of the bed while Adam slept soundly under the covers looking extremely peaceful.

Sighing softly, Robert got into bed and lay facing his sons, silently counting his blessings as he fell asleep.

* * *

 ** _Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Eegor, ve hawe to call Ivan and ask for help," Drizlav said in an anxious voice as he and Igor stepped out of a casino after losing a pile of money. "Ve cannot rely on gambleeing to surwiwe and zey vill catch us."

Igor sighed and frowned when he suddenly noticed a familiar face step off of a bus and look around briefly before walking down the street in the opposite direction from where they were, "Dreezlaw, zat eez Ryan Wolfe!" he hissed anxiously, recognizing the man. "I sot zat he died from all ze torture!"

Drizlav turned pale and swore anxiously, "If he remembers us, ve could be een a lot of trouble and go to ze dirty Newada jails," he replied anxiously. "Why eez he ewn back here if he remembers seengs?"

"Zat loser Sackheim eez hideeng in New York and left us to deal vith zis," Igor growled angrily.

Drizlav sighed, "Ve hawe to follow heem," he hissed. "Ve hawe to tell Ivan about seeing heem."

Igor rolled his eyes, but he walked alongside Drizlav as they went in the same direction as Ryan, both of them curious as to why he was there and out so early. The two stopped, however, when Ryan suddenly stopped, turned, and went into the Whiskey Stop Casino as if he were looking for some answers.

While the two Russians waited outside, Ryan silently wandered through the casino to the information booth to see if anyone could help him find Sam Braun. He had shared a light breakfast with Sofia Curtis and then she had needed to leave to get ready for work, but left Ryan with her phone number and a promise to meet up again while he was still there. Ryan had then decided to go to the Whiskey Stop Casino because that place had been the place where he had been discovered alive by Sam Braun.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if Sam Braun was here?" Ryan asked the information clerk, who was a calm looking, middle-aged man wearing a suit. "He…he helped me a while back and I wanted to thank him."

The information clerk suddenly became very quiet and silently studied Ryan before picking up his phone and punching in a few numbers, "Sir, you're needed at the information desk," he said in a quiet tone.

Silence filled the normally busy casino and Ryan suddenly felt someone watching him, prompting him to turn around, "Ryan Wolfe?" Sam asked in a quiet, intrigued voice. "My name is Sam Braun."

Ryan nodded, "I was told in the hospital that you were the one to find me and this is where I was found," he explained in a tired voice. "I can't remember anything before I woke up in the hospital."

Sam Braun frowned and put his hands on Ryan's shoulders, "You shouldn't be out so late alone," he said in a comforting voice. "Do you know Catherine? I should call her and have her come pick you up."

"Catherine's married to a guy who saved my life as a kid," Ryan replied quietly. "They live here."

Sam Braun nodded, "Come make yourself comfortable in my office while I call her," he said calmly.

* * *

The sound of a ringing phone filled the bedroom where Rick and Catherine were asleep in bed, both of them exhausted from preparing for Christmas with their son. Since the phone was on Catherine's side of the bed, she groaned before sighing, grabbing the cordless off of its handle, and holding it to her ear.

"Catherine Stetler," Catherine said in a sleepy voice, frowning when she heard Sam's voice. "Sam?"

Fully awake now, Catherine listened as Sam explained that Ryan Wolfe had showed up at one of his casinos wanting information about his attack because he couldn't remember, "Where is Ryan at exactly?" she asked in a concerned voice, nudging Rick with her free arm. "Rick, wake up; it's Ryan…"

Rick slowly opened his eyes and glanced at his wife, deeply confused, "Ryan's at the Whiskey Stop Casino with Sam," Catherine explained as she listened to Sam talk. "He went looking for answers."

"You said that Ryan's brother is here about his daughter," Rick replied. "Why is Ryan back here?"

Catherine shrugged and Rick promptly got out of bed, "Maybe Ryan wanted to come to support his family?" she suggested softly before turning back to the phone. "Sam, Rick's on his way over there."

There was a click and Catherine sighed, "I'll get dressed," Rick said quietly. "And I'll talk to Ryan."

Catherine sighed, "Are you going to tell him the real reason why you took leave?" she asked softly.

"What, that Delko and Duquesne are questioning his mental fitness and are petitioning for Ryan to have a psych evaluation in the New Year?" Rick asked sternly. "And that I went on leave in protest?"

Catherine nodded, "Horatio would have told him if he hadn't been nearly killed by Derek Stokes, I'm sure," Rick spoke bitterly. "I'll call you after I pick Ryan up and talk to him about what's going on."

* * *

Nearly an hour later after retrieving Ryan and thanking Sam Braun for his help, Rick pulled his car into the parking lot of a diner that was between the casino and The Palms, "Breakfast?" he offered kindly.

"I know it was dumb to walk around Vegas at night," Ryan replied quietly. "I just couldn't rest."

Rick sighed, "I didn't take leave because of my anxiety attack," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I took leave because Delko and Duquesne talked the Chief into ordering you to get a Psych evaluation in January."

"I knew about that," Ryan replied quietly, his face somber. "The Chief sent me a letter in the mail and coming here with Tommy and his family is giving me a chance to think about what I want to do."

Rick frowned in confusion, "Emily doesn't know, Tim doesn't know, and I'm not even sure if Horatio knows," Ryan spoke quietly. "If I want to stay on the shift I'm on, I have to take the Psych evaluation with an external psychologist because my sister's the one for the department and that's a conflict."

"Ryan, you were put through something terrible and you're just letting this happen?" Rick asked softly.

Ryan sighed softly, "I'm thinking of resigning once Horatio's back to work," he replied in a tired voice.

"Ryan, you're not wealthy and I know you need the job," Rick replied in a concerned voice. "I'll privately arrange for you to see an external therapist, but you shouldn't have to go through a psych evaluation this soon after being tortured to near death. I'm not going to fire you over what happened to you."

Ryan nodded, but he looked worried, "If I switch to night shift, will this go away?" he asked quietly.

"How's that going to be on your health, though?" Rick asked quietly. "You're still recovering."

Ryan scoffed, "Eric and Calleigh don't seem to care," he snapped. "They're happy Tim is back and they're more than welcoming to Jesse, Natalia, and even to Horatio's nephew, but not so much to me."

"Do you want some breakfast?" Rick asked quietly, mad at Eric and Calleigh for their thoughtlessness.

Ryan sighed, "I actually was down in the food court of the Palms with Tommy this morning and I saw this really nice girl named Sofia," he explained quietly. "I bought her breakfast and she left me her number, but I actually don't remember eating much. She had to go to work, but she wants me to call her."

Rick nodded, "Let's get something to drink, then," he spoke calmly. "It'll calm you down a bit."

Ryan nodded and followed Rick into the diner, deeply surprised when he saw Sara seated at a table wearing a large coat over her clothes while a plate of vegetarian food sat in front of her, "Sara Sidle?" he asked in a surprised voice, recognizing the woman. "What are you doing out here so late at night?"

"Ryan Wolfe, alive and well," Sara replied in a pleased voice. "The babies got hungry."

Ryan smiled, "Grissom's in the bathroom," Sara replied calmly. "I'm getting too big to drive. Sit down."

Nodding, Ryan joined Sara at the table, "I will go order you some actual food," Rick said firmly.

Once Rick was at the counter, Sara gave Ryan a worried look, "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"I still can't remember anything," Ryan confessed quietly. "And earlier, I felt like I was being followed."

Sara frowned, "I also thought I could hear whispering," Ryan continued softly. "Am I delusional?"

Before Sara could reply, Grissom came over to the table and looked intrigued at seeing Ryan there, "Welcome back, Ryan," Grissom said in an intrigued voice. "I take it you're here with your brother?"

Ryan nodded, "Tommy's back at The Palms with our family," he replied in a nervous voice.

"Well, Jenny's not been alone since she's been here," Grissom replied. "Greg's made sure of that."

Ryan looked relieved, "So Greg's doing well, then?" he asked softly. "Even with his new disability?"

"Ecklie's got him on lab duty, but Ecklie's always a jerk," Sara grumbled. "Greg's hanging in there."

* * *

 ** _Desert Palms Hospital_**

Emily sighed softly as she followed Tommy off the elevator and on to the OB/GYN floor of the hospital where Jenny was being monitored. Tommy had talked with Diana and said that he wanted to go see Jenny first and take Emily in case she needed to talk to someone professional about things.

As the two approached the hospital room, they saw a plainclothes police officer sitting outside the hospital room. Through the transparent walls, Emily could see Nick sound asleep on the couch while Greg was passed out asleep in a chair beside the bed where Jenny was comfortably asleep.

"This isn't the way I imagined becoming a grandfather," Tommy spoke in a trembling voice.

The cop looked at Tommy questioningly, "Are you Jenny's father?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Tommy nodded, "I'm Detective Jim Brass," Brass explained calmly. "I've been guarding Jenny."

"We, uh, talked to the hospital and they let us come early," Tommy explained quietly. "This is my sister, Emily Speedle. She's the counselor for the police department in Miami and is here for moral support."

Emily nodded and Brass gestured inside, "Sanders and Stokes are camping out simply because Jenny asked them to stay," Brass explained calmly. "I think she likes Sanders better than Stokes, though."

"Well, at least I know Greg to be a good guy if she likes him," Emily spoke quietly.

Brass nodded and watched as Tommy entered the room nervously, "Jen," Tommy spoke clearly.

There was a silence and Jenny slowly opened her eyes as Emily entered the room, "Dad, Aunt Emily," she said in a tired, quiet voice. "How did you know I was in Las Vegas? Does Derek know?"

"Conrad Ecklie called your Uncle Ryan and your uncle told us," Tommy spoke quietly. "We came…"

Jenny looked confused, "I thought you were in the hospital, though?" she asked groggily.

"Doctor Higgins said it would be good for my mental health to come visit you," Tommy spoke softly.

Jenny nodded as Tommy and Emily approached the bed, "Your mom and everyone else is at a hotel and I just wanted to see how you were doing," Tommy spoke quietly. "You're my little girl, Jenny, and I love you to pieces."

Trying not to cry, Tommy sat in a chair beside the bed, sighing when Greg stirred, "Hi," Greg said in a groggy voice, eyeing Tommy warily. "Oh, you're Jenny's dad. She's showed me family photos."

"Yes, Mister Sanders," Tommy spoke calmly, gazing at him nervously. "It's nice to meet you."

Greg nodded and got up, "I'm gonna go get some breakfast," he said tiredly. "I'm on days off."

Jenny nodded and Greg quietly left the room, poking Nick's shoe as he left, "What?" Nick grumbled groggily as he woke and saw Tommy and Emily by the bed. "Oh, are you Jenny's dad and aunt?"

Tommy gave Nick a wary look and looked at Emily nervously, "Um, Mister Stokes, why don't we go for a walk to the cafeteria?" Emily suggested calmly. "I'm expecting a baby and it happens to be hungry."

Bewildered by Tommy's sudden dislike of him, Nick got up off the couch and followed Emily from the room, "Does your fear of Nick have anything to do with his family?" Tommy asked in a worried voice.

Jenny nodded and Tommy silently took her hands in his own as she explained why she was scared.

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"Uncle Horatio?"

Horatio stirred and opened his eyes, sighing groggily as he saw that his nephew was standing by the bed holding the cordless phone, "It's Chief Burton," Robert spoke quietly. "He says it's important."

Seemingly irritated about his rest being interrupted, Horatio slowly sat up and immediately cringed when pain shot through his arm and ribs, "Hello?" he asked groggily, taking the phone with his right hand. "Chief Burton, you know I'm on medical leave til after Christmas. Is this absolutely urgent?"

" _Horatio, I've sent a memo to CSI Wolfe ordering him to undergo a psych evaluation before he resumes work after the holidays_ ," Chief Burton replied calmly. " _CSI's Delko and Duquesne had enough concerns about Wolfe's mental fitness after his abduction that I've ordered him to undergo an external ev_ al."

Horatio scowled, "Eric and Calleigh brought you concerns about Mister Wolfe?" he asked sternly.

There was a pause, " _You didn't know about their concerns_?" Chief Burton replied worriedly.

"Does it sound like I knew about their concerns, Chief?" Horatio asked in a slightly cross voice.

Chief Burton cleared his throat, "Did this go through IAB?" Horatio asked in a cold voice.

" _Stetler's on leave protesting this, so I assume it did_ ," Chief Burton replied. " _I sincerely apologize_ …"

Horatio pressed the speaker button and set the phone on the bedside table as he got out of bed, "It seems there is disharmony on my team and I need to speak with Rick to solve it before the New Year," he spoke in a terse voice, deeply disappointed in Calleigh and Eric for their actions. "Goodbye, Chief."

Swearing loudly, Horatio ended the call and silently dialled Rick's number, "Rick?" he said groggily.

There was a silence, " _Horatio_?" Rick's voice spoke. " _I assume this is about Ryan's situation_?"

"I just got a call from the Chief about it," Horatio replied tersely. "I am extremely disappointed."

Quiet talking filled the phone and Horatio realized that Ryan was with Rick in Vegas and the two were probably discussing the situation, " _Stetler said that if I switched to nights and if I started seeing a therapist outside the department, he could probably get this to disappear_ ," Ryan spoke quietly.

Robert, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, sighed softly, "You should not have to do that, Ryan," Horatio spoke in a groggy voice. "Would you like me to talk to Eric and Calleigh about this?"

" _No, I want them to be comfortable with their colleagues_ ," Ryan replied in a tired voice. " _I'll probably be in Vegas for Christmas and when I get home, I'll fill out the paperwork and quietly move to nights_."

There was a click, indicating that Ryan had ended the call and Horatio winced as he moved towards the door, "I guess I need to have a sit-down with my team after the holidays," he said in a pained voice.

Seeing that his uncle was in pain, Robert helped him walk to the elevator and rode down to the living room with him. Flack and BJ were seated at the coffee table playing a board game while Adam was laying asleep on the couch in a bundle of blankets, "I would love my pain meds and tea," Horatio spoke quietly, giving Flack a slight nod. "I'm very relieved that you have some help with the boys."

Flack gave Horatio a concerned look, but didn't speak because he saw that Robert looked unusually hurt and angry about something, "I'll make you a light breakfast," Robert said in a quiet, but firm voice as he helped his uncle sit in a soft kitchen chair. "You won't start to feel better on an empty stomach."

* * *

 ** _Desert Palms Hospital - Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"How have you been doing since you came back to work?" Emily asked in a quiet voice as she sat down at the table where Nick was sitting with muffins and milk. "Are you adjusting back to being a CSI?"

Nick nodded and sighed, "I hadn't expected to come back so soon after what happened, but I was needed and I was offered a raise if I came back," he spoke quietly. "I'm not back in the field yet…"

"You're very much still recovering and I'm sure Grissom and your other colleagues are aware of that," Emily replied quietly. "I'd recommend that you take what time and steps you need in your recovery."

Nick looked nervous, "It honestly didn't help me feel any better about myself when your niece showed up in Vegas and admitted that she's scared of my parents and I," he said anxiously, unable to hold back his fear about the situation any longer. "She thinks we're going to take her baby cause Derek's the father and obviously beat her before she ran away. My parents don't want to take her baby, but she won't even let them visit her; Greg had to talk to her for hours before she even let me in the room."

Emily nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face, "I'm nothing like Derek, but I walked around most of yesterday replaying what happened when Derek tortured me," Nick spoke quietly, his voice trembling. "I know that Jenny's reaction to me isn't personal, but it makes me wonder if I am going to turn into…"

"No, you're not," Emily spoke firmly, cutting him off. "I've only seen Derek once and it was when he blew up my father-in-law's restaurant. From what I've seen, Derek's behavior is somewhat sociopathic."

Secretly relieved that Greg had gone somewhere else than the cafeteria, Nick sighed and looked deeply troubled, "Grissom said that Warrick's still in Miami," he said in an anxious voice. "Did he say why?"

"Warrick Brown is investigating Derek, but I haven't seen him since before I left to come here with my family," Emily explained in a concerned voice. "He's also investigating someone who tortured Ryan."

Nick nodded, "I'm sorry for what Derek did to Ryan and what he did to Jenny and if he hurt anyone else," he spoke in a trembling voice. "If I could do anything to make the people he hurt feel…"

"It's not your responsibility, Nick," Emily spoke firmly. "You're very kind and filled with compassion, but it is not your job, nor is it even remotely productive to clean up the messes that your brother makes."

Tears filled Nick's eyes, "I honestly don't know what led Derek to turn into such a monster when he wasn't always like that, but I don't know if I can consider him my brother anymore," he replied softly.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	7. Seeing What Others Cannot

_**December 23**_

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

Sounds of vomiting filled the apartment and Danielle sat on the edge of the tub, silently rubbing her husband's back as Bosco lost the contents of his stomach in the toilet. He hadn't been able to eat much or sleep well in the last 12 hours and he knew that the chemo was taking a very harsh toll on his body.

"I think my stomach's empty," Bosco said in a pained voice as he shuffled away from the toilet and immediately leaned against Danielle for support. "I don't want to go get help this close to Christmas…"

Danielle sighed softly, "Maurice, you can't even keep water down," she replied in a quiet voice.

Bosco sighed when he suddenly heard the front door open, "Bosco?" he heard Carlos call out.

"Did Sully seriously go and get paramedics?" Bosco grumbled even though he didn't move.

Danielle gently put a hand on his shoulder, "My parents are off getting a checkup on their baby," she gently reminded him, looking confused as Carlos hobbled into the bathroom. "How'd you get in?"

"John called and I brought Kylie and Tommy with me since Holly's working," Carlos explained in a concerned voice as noise from the TV filled the air. "John and Tommy turned on a cartoon and Tommy's watching David, Ellie, and Kylie while John's got Michael and Emily in their swings out there."

Bosco nodded and Carlos eased his way into the bathroom, "Holly's an EMS supervisor, so we always have extra stuff around," Carlos explained as he eased a backpack off his back. "You look like crap."

"I'm even throwing up liquids," Bosco spoke quietly. "It'll scare the kids if I go to the hospital."

Carlos gave Bosco a look, "You'll be able to get some rest and get rehydrated at the hospital, Bosco," he said in a quiet, but firm voice. "I know it's two days before Christmas, but you need medical help."

Bosco scoffed and Carlos sat on the edge of the tub, "Let me check your vitals before you start scoffing, okay?" Carlos suggested calmly. "I may not be on the street, but I've kept my proficiencies up."

Nodding, Bosco clung to Danielle as Carlos got his supplies out of the backpack and silently checked Bosco's vitals, "How come you're not working at all anymore?" Bosco finally asked. "You're good."

"Because I couldn't pass the FDNY physical right now," Carlos replied calmly. "I'd be a liability."

Danielle scoffed, "Go be an on-site medic somewhere or teach," she spoke firmly. "Carlos, you've got so much skill and talent that you should at least do part-time work while homeschooling Tommy."

"You're starting to sound like Doc," Carlos commented in a quiet voice. "Blood pressure's low."

Danielle sighed softly, "We were both trained by Doc, remember?" she replied. "How low?"

"You could be anemic," Carlos replied, gazing at Bosco. "You're also really, really dehydrated."

Bosco nodded, "Help me up because sirens and paramedics will freak the kids out," he said softly.

"That will drop your pressure more," Carlos replied firmly. "Paramedics are the best option."

Bosco sighed, "Okay," he said in a resigned voice. "Just try to not scare the kids."

"I'll go call paramedics," Danielle said, standing up. "Maurice, stay here and listen to Carlos, okay?"

As Danielle went into the living room, she saw that Tommy was sitting in a chair doing some homework while David, Ellie, and Kylie sat on the couch watching a Christmas cartoon. Michael and Emily were sitting in their swings and John was in the kitchen, silently putting together a healthy lunch.

"John, I need you to hold down the fort because your dad needs to go to the hospital," Danielle spoke quietly as she approached him in the kitchen. "Your Uncle Carlos says that your dad needs to go."

John looked concerned, but nodded, watching as his mother picked up the phone and dialled 9-1-1.

* * *

 ** _Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Greg, these are my parents," Jenny explained in a quiet voice as a nervous looking Greg approached the cafeteria where Jenny was sitting in a wheelchair while Diana and Tommy sat at a table. "Mom, Dad, this is Greg Sanders, a DNA Technician at the Vegas Crime Lab. Greg's been really kind to me."

Greg blushed, but silently sat at the table, "I think we've developed feelings for each other," he admitted quietly, his face reddening as Jenny took his hand. "I don't want to speak for Jenny."

"I've really found a lot of safety in Greg," Jenny spoke softly. "He's got some days off…"

Just then, Emily and Ryan joined them, "Hi Greg," Emily said warmly. "How are you doing?"

"Why do you have days off?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice, having overheard Greg.

Greg sighed, "The higher-ups hired a new CSI and she's training right now," he explained, still very self-conscious about his new disability. "There was an attack on the Crime Lab a few months back that took some of my hearing and I have to wear hearing aids. The LVPD thinks having a hearing impaired CSI in the field is a liability and will bring the lab's reputation down, so I was sent back to the lab for good."

Tommy scowled, "That's discrimination," he said darkly. "Do you need a good lawyer, Mister Sanders?"

"Oh, um, a colleague of mine, Nick Stokes, has his dad working on it," Greg replied nervously.

Tommy nodded, but didn't say anything because the Stokes's were on their way and he wasn't sure what to make of them yet, "I don't care that Greg has to wear hearing aids," Jenny spoke up softly.

As Tommy and Diana talked with Greg and Jenny, Ryan and Emily walked over to the food counter, "I know this is going to sound strange, but I'm wondering how Mom's doing," Ryan spoke quietly.

"I phone her weekly and we have a brief conversation, but she's never eager to talk to me," Emily replied in a quiet voice. "You were good to move her to a nicer place after the last one was attacked."

Ryan sighed, "I haven't talked to her since before I was kidnapped and tortured and I'm wondering if I made the right choice coming to Vegas because it's just uncomfortable being here, but I have no idea why," he explained in a tired voice. "I've also been keeping something important from you."

"What?" Emily replied in a quiet voice, giving Ryan a concerned look. "Is it about your health?"

Ryan shook his head, "Eric and Calleigh went to the Chief and convinced him to order me to have a Psych evaluation before I'll be allowed back to my shift," he explained quietly. "I talked to Stetler about it and he told Horatio. Stetler said if I switched to nights, he could get Eric and Calleigh to back off."

"Eric and Calleigh are questioning your mental fitness?" Emily replied in a concerned voice. "Why?"

Ryan shrugged, "No offense, but Eric and Calleigh never really liked me coming and taking Tim's spot when Tim was shot," he replied quietly. "I think they wanted me to leave after Tim came back."

Emily sighed and gently gave Ryan a hug, "I'm sorry," she replied softly. "You don't deserve that."

"I don't think I need to be here while the Stokes's talk with Tommy, Diana, Jenny, and Greg," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice. "I might go back to the hotel and see if I can get a hold of Mom or just take a nap."

Emily nodded, "I know Horatio wasn't happy about it, but what can he do?" Ryan spoke softly.

Before Emily could reply, Ryan silently left the cafeteria and kept quiet as he left the hospital. He walked over to the nearby bus terminal and waited, fully intending on going back to the Palms and resting.

As Ryan sat on the bench, however, a car suddenly pulled over at the stop and the window rolled down, "Hey there, stranger," Sofia said in a warm voice, smiling at Ryan. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was visiting my niece," Ryan replied as he got up. "I haven't seen you in a couple days."

Sofia gave him an apologetic look, "I've been getting to know my new job," she replied gently. "I got your messages and they helped me get through it all. If you're free, we could go out on a date now."

Ryan smiled, "I'd really like that," he replied in a pleased voice. "I could use some company."

"Get in," Sofia said, opening the passenger door. "We can go someplace really nice."

Nodding, Ryan got into the car and pulled the door shut, buckling up as Sofia took off.

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida**_

Warrick sighed softly as he left the InTown Apartment building where he was apartment sitting for Ryan until he got back from Vegas. Ryan had been concerned about the safety of his apartment and had asked Warrick, who was staying in Miami until he found Derek Stokes, to keep it safe for him.

The air was cool and the streets were lined with Christmas decorations, which made walking down the street to the nearby market easy and enjoyable. Since he knew Ryan wouldn't want to come home to a messy apartment, Warrick got only a little bit of food every day and didn't leave any to create a mess.

As Warrick made his way down the street, however, a guy in jeans and a hoodie launched himself out of the bushes and knocked him down on the pavement, "Gimme your money and your credit cards!" the man hissed as he forced Warrick over on to his back and pointed a knife at him. "All of it…or I kill!"

Quickly realizing that the guy looked like an older version of Nick, Warrick frowned, "Come ON!" the man shouted angrily, pointing the knife at Warrick's chin. "I don't have all day! Gimme your stuff!"

"Derek Stokes?" Warrick said in a surprised voice. "What are you doing so out in the open?"

Derek's eyes widened in anger and Warrick used the hesitation as an opportunity to launch Derek off of him and get up, "Dude, that's dirty play!" Derek snapped as he staggered to his feet. "How dare you!"

"How dare you try to rob me!" Warrick snapped as he faced Derek. "Why are you here?"

Derek suddenly tilted his chin and Warrick felt himself being grabbed around the throat from behind with a gun pressed into his back, " _How do you know my name_?" Derek snarled, fire in his eyes.

"Easy there, Stokes," Warrick heard an amused, accented voice say. "We can take him with us."

Derek looked amused and nodded eagerly, smirking as he followed Clavo into an alley with Warrick bound by Clavo's headlock, "We'll find out who you are one way or another," Derek hissed.

"You know you're wanted, Derek," Warrick hissed as he struggled to breathe. "By the police."

Swearing anxiously, Derek backhanded Warrick into the wall and Warrick promptly passed out cold.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital - Manhattan, New York**_

Bosco sighed tiredly, examining the IV that was resting in his hand as he lay on an exam bed under a blanket, wearing a gown over his sweats that he had only been able to get on because Danielle had helped him change out of his street shirt once they had gotten to the hospital in the ambulance and had also been there when he had gotten a catheter in. He was now in the ER under observation and resting while Danielle called home to check on the kids; he didn't expect it to be a short stay.

While Danielle was gone, a nurse had come by and tried to take blood, but Bosco had refused to let her touch him because memories of what Dr. Price had done came flooding back. The nurse had quietly backed off, as the assault was national news and nobody wanted to trigger any flashbacks in him.

The curtain suddenly opened and Danielle came in with Hawkes, who was wearing scrubs and a lab coat while pushing a supply cart, "A little birdie told me that you were nervous about getting blood drawn, Maurice," Danielle spoke softly, smiling gently at him. "I got permission to take your blood myself."

"I'm Doctor Hawkes and I work here sometimes," Hawkes said kindly. "John talks a lot about you."

Bosco immediately looked confused as he looked at Hawkes, "How do you know John?" he asked.

"I'm a Crime Scene Investigator and an occasional Medical Examiner at the Crime Lab and I've taught him a few things," Hawkes explained calmly. "He said that you only got diagnosed earlier this month?"

Bosco nodded, "I just had my last chemo before the holidays on the 20th," he replied in a tired voice. "I started feeling icky last night and I managed with gingerale, but I can't even keep fluids down now."

"That is an unfortunate side-effect of chemotherapy and it's good that you decided to come in rather than take a risk with your health," Hawkes replied in a kind voice. "You seem dehydrated and according to the set of vitals taken by Paramedic Carlos Nieto, your blood pressure is low and you've got a temp."

Bosco sighed, "Carlos came with us in the ambulance and he's off calling his wife," he replied softly.

Hawkes nodded and Danielle smiled as she handed him two labelled vials that were filled with blood, "There you go, Doctor Hawkes," she said calmly. "That should be enough for the basic tests."

Smiling, Hawkes took the vials and walked off while Danielle sat on the gurney next to Bosco, "I didn't feel anything," Bosco spoke in a tired voice, gazing at his wife. "How'd you do that so quickly?"

"You look tired, sweetie," Danielle replied in a kind voice. "Sleep will help you feel better."

Bosco gave her a look, "Yeah," he spoke in a tired voice. "I think I'll try to get some sleep."

Danielle put an arm around him and Bosco snuggled close to her; the exam bed was large and so both of them could fit rather comfortably. As Bosco drifted off, Danielle gently kissed his sweaty forehead.

Bosco smiled slightly, but stayed asleep because he was comfortably warm, "Danielle," Danielle suddenly heard as Sully came into view looking worried. "I got a call from John just a bit ago…"

"Maurice is stable for now, but he's dehydrated, has low blood pressure, and a bit of a fever, so they might start another IV once the bloodwork's back," Danielle spoke softly. "I left John in charge."

Sully nodded, "Yelina's just getting dressed," he replied. "Do you think they'll admit him?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm staying for as long as I can," Danielle replied firmly. "Maurice is my husband."

Sully looked thoughtful, "I can always call Rose to help at home if Yelina gets tired," he said calmly. "I can send John along later with things you might need if Bosco has to spend the night here…"

Just then, Yelina came into view and frowned at seeing Bosco asleep on an exam bed while Danielle held him, "Maurice finally decided to come in?" she asked in a quiet voice. "He doesn't look very well."

"The kids were surprisingly calm when the ambulance showed up at the apartment," Danielle spoke in a tired voice. "Carlos came with us, but I'm sure he'll need to go back and get his kids from our place."

Yelina nodded, "Is there anything I can get either of you?" she asked quietly. "I know you'll stay."

"Aren't you tired?" Danielle asked quietly. "Your baby's getting bigger, so I imagine you would be."

Yelina smiled, "I'm fine," she replied in a calm voice. "We'll do what we can to help."

"Could you please just go make sure the kids are okay?" Danielle spoke softly. "I'm staying here."

Sully looked concerned, "Danielle, I know that Maurice wants to keep it secret from most of your friends, but you can't take care of him all by yourself all the time," he said calmly. "You need support."

"I'm not the one you have to convince," Danielle replied softly, frowning when Bosco suddenly woke.

Bosco groaned as he slowly sat up, "I'm gonna throw up," he said in an anxious voice. "I need…"

Without warning, Bosco threw up on the floor, barely missing Sully and Yelina, "Crap," Sully said in a concerned voice as he led Yelina away from the puke. "Excuse me, could we get some help here?"

Mary Proctor promptly came over with a clean gown and blanket and helped Danielle pull the curtain so they could help Bosco change in private. A few moments later, the curtain was pulled back and Bosco eyed the puke on the floor warily, "Doctor Hawkes wants you to stay the night," Mary spoke firmly.

"In the ER?" Bosco asked in a groggy voice. "I'm not some mannequin you can put on display."

Mary gave him a look, "It'll be in a private room," she replied calmly. "You need to be observed."

"Can Danielle stay with me?" Bosco asked quietly. "I can't sleep without her next to me."

Mary nodded and Bosco painstakingly got off the exam bed, trembling to the point where Danielle grabbed hold of him and guided his dominant hand to the IV pole, "Boscorelli," Mary said worriedly.

"I can make it," Bosco replied in a slightly snappish tone. "I just have to go really slow."

Danielle held tight to Bosco as he shakily followed Mary through the ER, all of them aware that Sully and Yelina were following close behind in case Bosco needed extra help. Fortunately, Bosco managed to get to the room that Mary led them to and managed to sit on the bed before he had to take a rest.

Sully silently lifted Bosco's legs on to the bed for him, "You'll need a couple of extra IV's," Mary said calmly, looking at the chart that Hawkes had given her. "Doctor Hawkes will come visit you soon."

Bosco, however, wasn't listening because he had drifted off as soon as his head had hit the pillow and Danielle silently covered him with every available blanket, "I'll sit with him," she spoke gently.

Mary nodded and left the room, but Sully and Yelina stayed, "What would you like brought to you?" Yelina asked softly as Danielle sat on the bed beside Bosco. "Do you want books and clothes?"

"Just try and keep the kids focused on Christmas," Danielle spoke softly. "Not on their dad's pain."

Sully sighed, "Someone will be back later to give you a break and bring stuff," he said firmly, seeing that his daughter was tired and clearly upset about the situation. "Take it easy, kiddo. I love you."

Not wanting to speak, as she would end up crying, Danielle nodded and silently huddled close to her sleeping husband as her parents left the room, "I'll love you forever, Maurice," she whispered.

* * *

 ** _Miami, Florida_**

"I can't believe Donnie and my sons kicked me out of my own house so they could wrap presents," Robert said in an amused voice as he and Natalia walked along the beach that was close to downtown after Natalia had gotten off work and come to visit. "At least you're off and I can spend time with you."

Natalia nodded, grateful that Robert had free time because Horatio had felt well enough to go visit Eric and run private errands on his own while Flack babysat, "I've missed you," she replied softly.

"I don't like that you'll have to go to nights in the New Year because of department policy," Robert spoke in a concerned voice, gazing at her. "I can't work nights because I'm a single parent…"

Natalia sighed, but didn't say anything because she hated having to switch to nights and lose out on spending time with her boyfriend and his sons, "I could go back to Homicide and then you could stay on days," Robert said in a heavy voice even though he knew he couldn't go back to such a risky job.

"You almost got killed in that job, so I'm not going to ask you to do that," Natalia replied softly. "I can't."

Robert sighed and engulfed Natalia in a hug, which she returned, "I want to marry you," he said softly.

Natalia's eyes widened, filled with tears, and she gently kissed him, "I know," she replied quietly.

Smiling, Robert guided Natalia over to a table that was at an outdoor café, "I should tell you something in the meantime," he spoke softly as they sat down. "I changed my will after my father almost killed me and if something should happen to me that I can't come back from, I arranged for you and my uncle to be co-guardians of BJ and Adam and I also arranged for you both to divide my assets equally."

Natalia looked shocked, but she nodded silently, "I'm very aware of who my father was and that he has associates everywhere who know what happened in Las Vegas," Robert spoke quietly. "Painfully aware."

Nodding, Natalia touched Robert's hand and he took her hand, "Talia, I love you and I was hoping you'd consider becoming engaged to me," Robert spoke in a kind voice. "If it's too soon for you, I…"

"It's not too soon and I've wanted our relationship to grow ever since you almost died in Las Vegas, but I knew you weren't ready then," Natalia replied, a smile on her face. "I love you and I love your kids."

Robert smiled, "Would you like to go pick out a ring while we're out?" he asked in a kind voice.

"I trust your judgement, Bobby," Natalia replied in an amused voice. "You had this planned."

Robert nodded, "I was going to save it for tomorrow, but we ended up having some private time today," he admitted with a smile on his face. "While we're here, did you want to eat before we get a ring?"

Natalia chuckled, "We should go shopping for the food for tomorrow and the 25th," she said warmly.

"The boys want to wait until you can be with us to do that," Robert replied. "We can do it as a family."

Natalia smiled, got up, and walked over to Robert, "I love you," she spoke as she gently sat in his lap.

As Robert and Natalia began to kiss, a waiter showed up, "May I help you?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry," Robert and Natalia replied in unison as they got up and quickly moved away from the café, chuckling mischievously as they moved down the street towards a shop where they could get a ring.

* * *

 _ **Crime Lab – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Where is she, Gil?" Ecklie asked in an annoyed voice as he came into Grissom's office and saw Grissom sitting at his desk while Judge Stokes and Jillian Stokes sat on the other side. "Where's Jenny Wolfe?"

Grissom frowned, "I assume she's here, as her parents are in the break room," he replied calmly.

"I already know that Sidle's left early to go baby shopping, Grissom," Ecklie replied in a mock annoyed voice, giving Grissom a look. "If you don't tell me where she is, I can't talk to her about the case."

Grissom sighed, "Did you try the staff areas?" he suggested calmly. "There are couches in there."

Ecklie frowned, "Staff areas are for staff," he replied crossly. "What would she be doing in there?"

"Would you please excuse me a moment?" Grissom said, smiling at the Stokes's as he stood up.

Ignoring Ecklie's glare, Grissom led him through the hallways and into the room that the staff used to rest when they were on nights. Greg was sitting on the couch reading a magazine while a pillow sat in his lap that Jenny was sleeping on with Greg's lab coat over her clothes. She looked peaceful.

"Pregnant women need lots of rest," Grissom observed quietly. "She's comfortable with Greg."

Ecklie nodded, deeply mystified, "Is Nick moving things into your guys's new place?" Grissom asked.

Greg nodded and looked at Ecklie, "Nick doesn't want to live on his own anymore, so I invited him to move in with me and I also invited Jenny so that she could stay somewhere safe until the baby's born," Greg explained calmly. "She's not allowed to fly and her parents are worried about her going home."

"I hope you got some help for Nick?" Grissom asked quizzically. "His leg is still in a cast."

Greg nodded, "I hired movers," he replied in a calm voice. "I have the money to hire movers."

Grissom nodded, "We're working on arranging schedules so that one of us can be there with her all the time," Greg continued in a quiet voice. "Her dad's really wealthy and he's going to be paying for whatever she needs until she and the baby are able to go home. Derek did some really bad things…"

Jenny suddenly stirred and sat up, "Oh, sorry, I got tired," she apologized, gazing at Grissom and Ecklie.

"You're cleared in terms of Lieutenant Caine's property, Miss Wolfe," Ecklie said calmly. "However, I would like to know if you could help us, New York, and Miami in terms of our investigation into Derek Stokes and where he might be hiding. This mess has been going on for quite a while now."

Jenny was very quiet and Greg quickly sat up, "I know where he was when I ran away, but Derek isn't one to stay in one place for long," she finally spoke quietly. "He's very much into the party scene."

"Any information would be useful," Ecklie spoke quietly. "Even if it was where you stayed."

Jenny sighed softly, "That, I can tell you," she replied. "Do I have to go sit in an office?"

"No," Grissom spoke before Ecklie could speak. "I can talk to you about it here."

Greg sighed and got up, "I'm going to keep your parents company," he said calmly. "Okay?"

Jenny nodded and Greg left the room, giving Ecklie and Grissom opportunity to sit down in chairs, "Tell us whatever you can remember with as much detail as possible, please," Ecklie spoke in a calm voice.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Crime Lab/Police Department – Miami, Florida**_

The Crime Lab was quiet, but Horatio sat alone in the privacy of his office after taking a cab to the police properties and calling Eric, quietly asking for a meeting in his office. Horatio only had the use of one arm and was only capable of very limited movement for the time being, but he wanted to understand.

Calleigh, despite her openness when it came to cases, wouldn't give him the answers he sought simply because she was very good at keeping secrets when she wanted to. Eric, however, was now incapable of lying and couldn't even pretend to deceive because that part of his brain had been damaged by the bullet that got him in the head. Eric was now painfully honest even if it got him and others in trouble.

As footsteps echoed through the quiet air, Horatio sighed softly and raised an eyebrow when Eric came into the doorway, "You should be at your nephew's resting," Eric commented as he came into the office.

"I heard about you and Calleigh going to Chief Burton, Eric," Horatio explained. "Can you tell me why?"

Eric sighed, "We all know that Wolfe's memory hasn't been that good since he was found in Las Vegas and that could be a liability," he explained in a concerned voice. "I had to take a full battery of tests and a psych eval before I was cleared to work again, but Wolfe hasn't done that. I think he needs to."

"Mister Wolfe's recovery is ongoing and has not yet reached the point where a psychiatric evaluation is necessary," Horatio spoke quietly. "He is still undergoing cancer treatments along with continuing to recover from the attack, so your concerns have no merit. I have spoken to IAB about the situation, however, as well as Mister Wolfe and he has agreed to transfer to night shift in the New Year."

Eric looked concerned, but didn't say anything, "If you and Calleigh had concerns, you could have come to me instead of going behind my back to the Chief," Horatio spoke. "I thought we had more trust…"

"I'm sorry, H," Eric replied in a tone that indicated he was ashamed. "I should have come to you."

Horatio nodded as the phone rang, "Horatio," he said softly, answering it with his right hand.

" _Lieutenant Caine, it's good to hear from you_ ," Grissom said calmly. " _How are you feeling_?"

As holding the phone was proving hard on his recovering body, Horatio quickly set the receiver on the desk, pressed the speaker button, and then hung the receiver up, "I'm hanging in there as well as one can after being beaten and having their house destroyed by an SUV," he replied in a tired voice.

" _Well, I have information that may help lift your mood_ ," Grissom replied calmly. " _Jenny Wolfe was able to give us information that might lead to Derek Stokes or at least lead us to his accomplices_."

Eric's eyes widened, " _Ecklie is off contacting the Chief of MDPD so he can organize SWAT to conduct a raid on the location Jenny gave us_ ," Grissom explained calmly. " _The raid may happen on Christmas_."

"It's not how many wanted to spend their Christmas, I'm sure," Horatio spoke tiredly. "However…"

Grissom paused, " _Miami-Dade SWAT will execute the operation_ ," Ecklie spoke up. " _I'll be speaking with the appropriate people and if your people find Derek Stokes, I want him locked away until a trial…_ "

"Derek Stokes is elusive," Horatio replied tiredly. "He doesn't strike me as easy to apprehend."

There was a sigh, " _Lieutenant Caine, you should be recovering from your attack_ ," Ecklie said in a calm, slightly patronizing voice. " _Go home and enjoy your leave. I'll keep you up to speed about things_."

The phone clicked and Eric shut it off, "You should really rest, H," he said in a concerned voice.

"I should visit Marisol first, Eric," Horatio replied as he stood up. "Would you please drive me there?"

Eric nodded and sighed, taking great care to help Horatio leave the office and secure it.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Ryan, we really do need to get up," Ryan heard a gentle voice say. "I have to get ready for work."

Ryan sighed softly as he opened his eyes and smiled, seeing that Sofia was in bed next to him after they had come to her house for their date. They had shared a meal of whatever was in her fridge and then Ryan had shared about what happened to him before, as Sofia hadn't heard much about it.

By the time Ryan had explained everything, he was emotionally drained and tired, so Sofia had invited him to bed for some relaxation. They had shared some fun and then had both fallen asleep for a while.

"You looked so comfortable," Sofia spoke gently, smiling at Ryan as she got up. "I hated to wake you."

Ryan smiled, but got out of bed and found himself gazing at the scars on his torso and arm, "I wish I could remember how my body got like this," he spoke quietly. "I hope the scars didn't disgust you."

"No," Sofia replied in a kind voice, smiling at him as she stroked his chest and kissed him gently.

Ryan quickly dressed and waited as Sofia showered and dressed, "Did you want to come meet my family before you go to work?" he asked quietly. "I've told them great things about how you've helped me."

Sofia blushed, "That would be lovely, Ryan," she replied gently. "I would love to meet your family."

Ryan silently waited for Sofia to gather her things and then sat in the passenger seat while she drove them to The Palms in what seemed like no time at all. Soon enough, they were at the suite.

As Ryan opened the door to his family's suite, he was pleased and surprised to see Emily sitting on the couch, watching as Tim decorated a Christmas tree that was in the corner of the room while Jason and Emilio sat on the floor with James, Julliet, and a pile of books, toys, and simple puzzles for kids.

"Emily, Tim, this is Sofia Curtis, the lady I told you about," Ryan said calmly. "Sofia, this is my sister, Emily, and her husband Tim. The kids are theirs and my big brother's…Why aren't you out?"

Tim sighed, "I saw all I needed to see of Vegas when I was here last month," he replied calmly.

"The kids would get overstimulated by all the lights and noise," Emily spoke gently, sighing patiently as James suddenly got up and wandered over to Ryan and Sofia, eyeing Sofia carefully. "James…"

Ryan silently picked James up, "James, this is Sofia," he said calmly. "Sofia is Uncle Ryan's friend."

James looked scared and Ryan sighed, "Hi James," Sofia spoke gently. "It's nice to meet you."

Almost immediately, James wriggled out of Ryan's arms and went over to Emily, "Don't take it personally, Sofia," Ryan spoke calmly. "James reacts that way to every stranger on the street; he goes away from them and over to the nearest familiar face he can find. He's got bad stranger anxiety."

Sofia nodded, "You're welcome to join us for Christmas dinner if you're free," Emily spoke gently as she watched James get on to the couch and curl into a ball. "We're just having something delivered here."

"I'll see what my schedule is," Sofia replied in a quiet voice. "Ryan, thank you for a lovely time."

Ryan nodded and shared a hug with Sofia before she left, "You slept with her," Emily said quietly.

"It was pleasant," Ryan replied in a calm voice. "I think we both needed it, you know?"

Emily smiled, but didn't say anything, "Tommy and Diana are at the Crime Lab with Jenny, but they said they'd bring back supper," she finally said calmly. "Nick Stokes is moving things into the place that Jenny will share with him and Greg until the baby's born since she can't fly and Tommy wants her safe…"

Ryan nodded, "I hope she's safe here," he spoke quietly. "Um, I think I'm going to have a rest."

Emily nodded, but she looked concerned as Ryan silently went to his bedroom and shut the door, "What's going on?" Tim asked quietly. "Ryan's told you something that's obviously upsetting you."

"I'm not sure you want to be involved in the situation, but I'll share and let you decide for yourself," Emily replied in a quiet voice, wanting to help Ryan. "Eric and Calleigh went to Chief Burton and requested that Ryan have a psych eval before being allowed back on his shift and the Chief agreed."

Tim frowned, but didn't say anything, "Ryan talked to Stetler and Stetler recommended that he switch to nights and said that that might be enough to get Chief Burton to back off," Emily spoke softly. "So, Ryan said he'd do it and I'm sure Horatio knows by now. I know Eric and Calleigh are your friends…"

"They're colleagues," Tim replied gently. "I don't associate with them outside of work very much, if at all, and that's the way we'd all prefer to keep it. They seem to think that I should invest all of my time in my job while you spend more time at home. I view this whole marriage and parenthood thing as a team effort and I know you love counseling. I'm not going to make you be a frumpy little housewife."

Emily looked surprised, but didn't say anything, "Go swim, Mama?" James suddenly spoke up.

"You want to go for a swim?" Emily asked calmly, smiling as she gazed at her children. "All right."

Tim sighed softly, but helped Emily up from the couch, "Jason, Emilio, work on the tree unless you wanna come swimming," he said in a quiet voice, watching as Emily led the twins into the bedroom.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy - Manhattan, New York**_

"It feels good to be able to walk again even if I have to wear walking casts," Brendan said in a cheerful voice as he followed Grace across the floor of the ER towards the exit. "How are my babies doing?"

Grace smiled, "We're fine," she replied in a calm voice. "Just take it easy with the walking, all right?"

Before Brendan could reply, he spotted Ty come into the ER wearing his winter uniform and talking to John, who was wearing winter gear and carrying two bags while wearing a backpack, "…My mom said my dad was moved to a general patient room," John said as he looked at Ty. "I think I know the way."

Ty nodded, "Just take me up to the floor and I'll go to the room myself," John spoke nervously.

Brendan frowned and silently watched as John led Ty to the elevators, "Is Bosco here?" he asked softly.

Grace frowned and helped Brendan follow John and Ty to the elevators, "Davis?" Brendan asked softly.

"My dad doesn't want people to know, but I think he's full of crap and I'm tired of keeping secrets," John spoke before Ty could say anything. "My dad's got Stage 2 testicular cancer and he had surgery for it, but he's here because he's reacting to his last chemo treatment. Doctor Hawkes admitted him."

Ty looked grim and Grace silently hugged John, "Is there anything we can do?" Brendan asked softly.

"I think my mom would appreciate a visit," John spoke quietly. "She's been here for a while."

Grace nodded and she and Brendan joined Ty and John in the elevator and rode upstairs with them, keeping quiet as they got off on the right floor and walked down the hallway, "Mom?" John said as he led them into the room and saw that his mother was sitting on the window while his father slept in bed sporting three extra IV's. "I brought the stuff you asked me to and I ran into Uncle Brendan and…"

"Your dad will be grateful for his stuff when he wakes, kiddo," Danielle replied as she got up and walked over to them. "Ty, thank you so much for using your supper to come and bring John over here."

Ty nodded and Grace gave Danielle a hug, "Mom, why don't you get something from the cafeteria?" John spoke up quietly. "I can stay with Dad for a while and Grandpa ordered Uncle Ty to stay with me."

"We can walk you to the cafeteria," Brendan offered kindly. "It's not far from here and I'm hungry."

Nodding, Danielle let Brendan and Grace lead her from the hospital room while Ty watched John unpack the bags, "You didn't have to come down here," Ty said calmly. "I could have brought the stuff myself."

"…Davis, why are you being so loud?" Bosco suddenly moaned. "I'm trying to get a little sleep."

Ty froze as Bosco opened his eyes, "I brought you clean clothes and stuff, Dad," John said calmly.

Bosco sighed tiredly, "Good," he replied quietly. "Did you bring me one of those smoothie things?"

John nodded and produced a thermos, "Yeah," he replied in a quiet voice. "You up for strawberry?"

Nodding, Bosco slowly moved the bed controls so he was more upright and John uncapped the thermos and helped him drink, smiling when his father managed to finish it, "Did your mom go for supper?" Bosco asked in a tired voice, feeling better because of the smoothie. "I worry about her, you know?"

As Bosco and John talked, Ty made himself comfortable in a nearby chair and just silently listened in.

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"…The dude couldn't handle your driving, Clavo!" Warrick heard an angry voice shout in his ear.

Feeling extremely dizzy, Warrick opened his eyes and found that he was handcuffed to some pipes in a barely lit room that was cold, "Ivan said we should rough the dude up before bringing him to Key West," he heard a rougher voice say. "We can trade the dude to Memmo's trafficking ring for some nice drugs."

"Oh, I _wanna_ talk to him," Derek hissed as he came into the room. "He mentioned my baby brother."

Warrick hissed in pain as he felt a hand grab his hair, "Officer Warrick Brown of the Las Vegas Crime Lab," Derek hissed as he glared daggers at Warrick. "So…Warrick, you work with Nicky in Vegas…"

"I have nothing to say to you, Derek Stokes," Warrick replied coldly. "You're a criminal and you took part in the kidnapping and torture of Ryan Wolfe. You helped Dennis Sackheim beat the crap out of a CSI…."

Derek's eyes widened, "Ryan Wolfe was making Memmo mad by looking into where little Raymond Caine and Lindsey Willows-Stetler are," he hissed coldly. "He even saw them and Memmo didn't like that, so Sackheim cooked something up that would obliterate Wolfe's memories of his experience…"

"You forgot that the little girl escaped because Wolfe helped her," Clavo hissed. "That 11 year old brat!"

Derek sighed and nodded, "Are you going to look for her?" he asked quietly. "She's just a kid…"

"Derek, you almost molested a cop's kid and you're worried about the girl?" Clavo asked in surprise.

Derek shrugged, "This guy works with Nick and I want to know what he knows," he hissed darkly.

Clavo nodded and released Warrick's hair, "I wonder if that's where Jenny went with my money and that jewelry of Horatio Caine's that suddenly went missing," Derek snarled. "Nick's such a do-gooder."

Clavo's eyebrows raised, "You think she ran off to Las Vegas?" he asked in a shocked voice.

* * *

 _ **Crime Lab – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Silence and work were Greg's company now that Jenny and her parents had left and Grissom was busy with other things, but he didn't mind it. The silence allowed him to catch up on some neglected work.

As Greg worked, he suddenly felt uneasy as if he could sense someone planning something very, very bad. He knew that he would be seen as insane if he admitted to having inherited psychic powers from his Nana Olaf; people thought him crazy enough simply because he had to rely on aids to hear properly.

However, the feelings of unease grew and Greg suddenly felt his eyes closing and his mind slipping into an involuntary, trance-like state. He suddenly saw images in his mind of Warrick being tortured by a guy he didn't know and Derek Stokes and while they tortured him, they spoke of children and of Jenny.

Greg was so lost in his psychic vision that he didn't notice that he was sweating profusely and his entire body was trembling violently from it. He didn't have psychic visions often and his powers were usually limited to fast processing speed when it came to work, but every so often, it would be much more.

A hand suddenly brushed against Greg's arm as he felt his legs sink slightly, "Greg?" a voice asked.

Greg suddenly felt the vision fade and he closed his eyes as his head tilted forward, "I'm all right," he managed to say in a weak voice even though he was feeling very close to fainting. "Just a minute."

"I thought Ecklie gave you time off so Sofia could train?" Greg heard Grissom ask as he felt himself being guided across the floor and sat down on something soft. "You might be having a low sugar reaction."

Greg sighed groggily as he opened his eyes, "Shouldn't you and Sara be at home planning that wedding you wanna have on New Year's Eve?" he asked, unable to help his ability to read Grissom's mind.

Grissom froze on his way to get his jar of grasshoppers off a shelf, "How do you know about that, Greg?" he asked in a shocked voice, giving Greg a look. "Sara and I haven't told anyone that we're doing that."

Greg swallowed hard, "My Nana Olaf has a gift for knowing things people think and knowing what's going to happen before it happens," he replied nervously. "I…I sort of inherited that from her."

Grissom raised an eyebrow, but silently came back with the jar, "That's called being a psychic, Greg," he replied, offering him the jar. "Eat a few of these and just sit for a few minutes. It'll help you."

Greg ate a few of the grasshoppers and sighed, "Yeah, it is," he replied quietly. "It helps me be really quick at processing evidence and doing good in the lab, but what happened was a psychic vision."

"A psychic vision?" Grissom asked in a concerned voice, sitting on his desk. "What do you mean?"

Greg sighed quietly, "I can see when things are happening sometimes and to a degree, I can also sense when things are going to happen," he explained in a quiet voice. "I…I saw Warrick…in the vision I had."

"Warrick's still on leave because of the accident," Grissom replied. "Nobody knows where he is."

A concerned expression crossed Greg's face, "Warrick, I think, is in Miami," he said slowly.

Grissom frowned, as nobody but him knew that, "I could see him being beaten up and this guy that looked like Nick yelling at him along with some other guy," Greg spoke quietly. "They were angry."

An uneasy silence filled the room as Grissom nodded, "They were talking about how Ryan rescued a girl and that's why Agent Sackheim had to drug him," Greg said softly. "The girl was 11…she got away."

"So…Ryan rescued a child, but we might not be able to find her because he can't remember anything about what happened to him," Grissom mused in a concerned voice. "Did they say the girl's name?"

Greg suddenly looked uneasy, "They were talking about two kids," he spoke shakily. "Trafficking."

Grissom paled, but didn't say anything, "Is your gift a voluntary thing?" he finally asked quietly.

Greg sighed, "They mentioned Lindsey and a kid named Raymond," he said in a quiet voice.

"Lindsey Stetler," Grissom said, his eyes widening. "Ryan saved her and got tortured for it."

* * *

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	8. New Life, New Plans - December 25, 2005

_**December 25**_

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

" _Did you actually lose all your memories of the attack or is it you just don't want to remember?!"_

A knock on his bedroom door jarred Ryan awake, but he didn't get out of bed because he was suffering from a queasy stomach and a headache. He was also still hurting from Catherine's harsh words to him when Greg had shared that he had actually rescued Lindsey from trouble, but couldn't remember anything about where she was. Catherine had actually accused him of faking his severe memory loss.

Grissom and Ecklie had since calmed Catherine down and Rick had been doing his best to try and smooth over the situation, but Ryan had ignored all of them. On top of feeling the sting of such an angry accusation from a person he thought he trusted, he had been asked by his doctor at Desert Palms to undergo a chemo treatment the day before and he had only told Emily, Tim, and Tommy about it because he didn't want to spoil Christmas for any of the kids and have it be all about his illness.

The knock sounded again and Ryan sighed, "Come in," he replied in a tired, slightly groggy voice.

Emily sighed as she opened the door and came into the room, "Hey," she said in a kind voice.

"They want me to do chemo once a week for six more weeks once I get back to Miami," Ryan spoke in a tired voice. "Nobody wants to take chances with this, you know? At least I'll be working nights now."

Nodding, Emily sat on the end of the bed, "Do you feel up to eating?" she asked in a kind voice.

"Maybe," Ryan replied in a tired voice, fighting back a yawn. "I just want to sleep a little more first."

Emily nodded, "It's quiet," Ryan said in a confused voice. "Did the kids open their gifts already?"

"We made a rule that nobody could open gifts til nine," Emily replied. "Do you want to come watch?"

Not wanting to miss a family moment, Ryan shakily climbed out of bed and immediately leaned against Emily for support, "I've got you," she said calmly as she helped him walk out to the living room couch and sit against some pillows in view of the decorated Christmas tree. "Do you want a blanket?"

Ryan's eyes, however, were drooping and he was exhausted from the short trip from the bed to the couch, "You should drink something," he heard Emily say worriedly as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 ** _Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York_**

The apartment was quiet and while Bosco lounged on the couch after being treated for two days and released with orders to rest, Danielle cleaned up the piles of wrapping paper that had piled up all over the floor from the many presents that had been opened hours before. John was at the table with the laptop his parents had bought him for university while David and Ellie were playing with Legos on the floor; the Legos were David's gift and Ellie had gotten dolls, but she didn't want to play alone.

Because money was tight, Danielle and Bosco had decided to get one gift each for each of the kids, one gift for each other, and one gift for Bosco's mother, Sully, and Yelina. Sully had quietly given the kids money so they could get extra gifts for each other and their parents, so John had gotten his parents gift cards for clothes, a math book for David, doll supplies for Ellie, and toys for Michael and Emily along with baby things for his grandparents that he knew they needed. Michael and Emily had also gotten clothes, but both of them were napping and being watched by Rose in the nursery. Sully was in his and Yelina's bedroom, silently doing his best to make Yelina feel better after they had heard that Ray Junior was alive and potentially in trouble; the stress had made Yelina want to rest as much as possible.

"That housecoat looks good on you, Maurice," Danielle said in a gentle voice as she put the wrapping paper into a garbage bag and the gift boxes into stacks. "When I saw it, I thought of you."

Bosco smiled and held his arm out, prompting Danielle to join him on the couch, "…I wish I was kidding, John, but I'm very serious," they suddenly heard Yelina's quiet voice say. "My bag is in the closet."

A few moments passed and Yelina came out into the living room with a hand on her back looking extremely uncomfortable, "I'm having contractions," she said quietly. "Quite a few of them."

Bosco's eyes widened, "I'm not sure if the weather's really good for going out," he said anxiously.

Yelina exhaled sharply and immediately sat down in a chair, "John, call downstairs to Nietos," Danielle said in an anxious voice as she went over to her stepmother. "Just breathe in and out slowly, Mom."

John hurried to the phone and dialled Nieto's number, "I don't think we can make it to the hospital in time in this weather," Sully said in an anxious voice. "Carlos had better just come upstairs."

Yelina exhaled softly as she stood up, "What, have the baby here?" she asked in a worried voice.

"You wanted a natural delivery," Sully replied, sighing as Danielle helped Yelina into their bedroom.

John hung up the phone, "Uncle Carlos is coming and he called paramedics," he replied anxiously.

Danielle helped Yelina lie down on the bed and closed the door partially to provide some privacy.

* * *

 ** _Las Vegas, Nevada_**

Excited chatter filled the suite's living room as James, Julliet, Jason, Emilio, and Jenny all opened their presents while Tim, Diana, and Tommy quietly watched the mess grow while unwrapping the presents they had for themselves. Ryan, however, was back in his bedroom packing his bag while Emily watched.

Catherine's accusation had triggered the Crime Lab into phoning and asking Ryan if he would come in to review the evidence and see if it triggered any memories. Ryan had refused and had politely asked to be left alone, hanging up the phone when they had pressed. He had then decided to go back to Miami.

Ryan, however, was feeling the effects of the last chemo session and was having trouble staying on his feet, "I can't believe I'm being accused of withholding information," he said in a trembling voice.

Emily sighed, gently took Ryan's arm, and sat him on the bed, "Sit before you fall," she said gently.

"I shouldn't have come," Ryan spoke weakly. "It was too soon after the attack, but I wanted…"

Emily nodded, "I've got such a migraine," Ryan said in a pained voice, massaging his forehead.

"Take a rest," Emily said in a kind voice. "I'll let you know when the turkey supper is here."

Ryan crawled back up to the pillows and drifted off to sleep without protest while Emily returned to the living room, "Hey, guys, what did you get for Christmas?" she asked in a gentle voice. "Toys?"

"Lots of puzzles, Mommy!" Julliet spoke up in an excited voice. "James is opening his up."

Emily sat on the floor just as a knock sounded at the door, "Stay there, sis," Tommy said as he got off the couch and walked across the messy floor towards the door. "The dinner I ordered must be early."

When Tommy opened the door, however, he saw an anxious looking Catherine and Brass in the hall, "Excuse me, who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked in a cold, suspicious voice.

"Detective Brass, Las Vegas PD," Brass replied uneasily. "Is Ryan Wolfe here, by chance?"

Tim frowned, quickly recognizing Catherine and Brass as he got up, "You can't talk to him right now," he replied coldly, glaring daggers at Catherine. "It's Christmas and he had chemo yesterday, so he's…"

"He's withholding information about my daughter," Catherine interrupted in an angry voice.

Tim approached the door, "He's resting and you can't talk to him," he replied in a quiet, but firm voice that Brass recognized. "Catherine, does Stetler even know you're here and not at home?"

"I'm on a half shift today," Catherine replied coldly. "Grissom and Sara called in sick and Nick's not allowed back in the field yet, so they needed an active CSI. This is part of my shift today."

Tim sighed and Tommy moved away from the door, "You're not coming in," he said firmly.

There was a pained sigh, "No, it's all right," Ryan spoke shakily as he slowly came into the living room and over to the door. "Let's not do this in front of my nieces and nephews. I know you want to talk."

"Is Uncle Ryan going to jail?" Emilio asked in an anxious voice as he hurried over to his father.

James suddenly started crying, "No jail!" he said in an anxious, sobbing voice. "Noooo!"

Jenny silently glared at Catherine and Brass before getting up and silently going into her bedroom, "Ryan has the right to have someone with him," Emily said in a stern voice. "I know the law very well."

"Mama go jail?" Julliet asked in a worried voice, her eyes wide. "Mama not go to jail."

Emily sighed, "Mommy's just going with Uncle Ryan," she replied softly. "We'll come back later."

Quickly gathering her wallet and Ryan's, Ryan's post-chemo meds, and some bottles of juice, Emily silently helped Ryan walk out of the suite. James continued to sob as he got up and ran to his bedroom; Julliet sat on the floor and started crying, which caused Emilio to suddenly begin crying.

Tommy silently pulled Emilio on to his lap and held him, "Diana, you're a lawyer, can't you do anything?" Tim asked as he picked Julliet up off the floor. "I thought Catherine was doing better emotionally…"

"Enlighten me on the situation and I'll see," Diana replied in a concerned voice. "I'm not really sure."

Tim sighed, "Let me calm my kids down and then I'll explain what I can," he replied quietly.

"Christmas movie, Daddy?" Julliet asked quietly, gazing at him tearfully. "Can we watch one?"

Tim sighed and set Julliet on the couch, "I bet Uncle Tommy will find one for you and Emilio," he replied patiently amidst the sound of James's hysterical sobbing. "I need to go calm your brother down, okay?"

While Tim went to calm James down, Jenny was on the phone with Greg in her bedroom sharing what had happened. She didn't think what happened was right and wanted to help her uncle out somehow.

* * *

 _ **Coconut Grove – Miami, Florida**_

Beneath the tree was empty and the living room was quiet, but Horatio found it comfortable simply because he knew he wasn't alone; Robert, Natalia, Adam, BJ, and Flack were all in the kitchen putting together the food for Christmas dinner. The solitude allowed Horatio to rest quietly on the sectional.

He had gotten up and watched everyone open their presents before opening the few that Robert, Natalia, Flack, and the boys had gotten him. He had gotten a few clothes and a few books to replace the ones that had been lost in Derek's attack. Robert had also gotten all of his private photos framed.

As Horatio lay on the couch with a pillow under his back and a blanket over his body, his casted arm ached, but he ignored it. While he rested, he could vaguely hear the sound of the phone ringing.

Soft footsteps filled the room and Horatio suddenly felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder, "Uncle Horatio, there's a Greg Sanders from Las Vegas on the phone," he heard Robert say as he slowly woke up.

"Thank you," Horatio replied, taking the phone in his right hand. "Merry Christmas, Mister Sanders."

There was a heavy silence, "Ryan's in trouble, sir," Greg replied anxiously. "He's been hauled in."

Horatio frowned, but said nothing, " _Jenny called me from her family's hotel suite and Catherine and Brass showed up to take him to the Crime Lab for questioning_ ," Greg spoke anxiously. " _I told Grissom about my psychic gift and he told Catherine about Ryan possibly knowing where Lindsey is and not being able to remember because of the drugs. Catherine thinks Ryan's lying and she's really angry about it_ …"

"Mister Sanders, please breathe," Horatio spoke quietly. "Did you have a psychic vision?"

Greg sighed, " _Yes and Grissom thought it worth looking into_ ," he replied softly. " _Grissom had a meeting about it and Catherine said I was crazy, but she thought Ryan was withholding information on purpose_."

"I would like you to contact Doctor Grissom and explain the situation to him," Horatio replied softly, shaken by the fact that Ryan was again in the line of fire. "Will you please do that for me, Greg?"

There was an anxious sigh, " _Yes, sir_ ," Greg replied anxiously. " _I hope you have a Merry Christmas_."

Horatio mumbled a quiet reply before hanging up the phone and closing his eyes, utterly exhausted.

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

"The paramedics are stuck in the snow and they're trying to get out," Carlos said as he hobbled into Sully and Yelina's bedroom and saw that Yelina was on the bed. "Holly sent supplies with me."

Danielle nodded, "The baby is anxious to come," Yelina spoke anxiously. "Danielle, get your father."

Nodding, Danielle quickly pushed a chair over to the end of the bed for Carlos before leaving the bedroom to get her father. Carlos sat in the chair and set his crutches out of the way before he set the bag of supplies on the bed. Yelina smiled at him encouragingly, but Carlos didn't say anything.

As Sully came into the room with Danielle, Yelina suddenly cringed, "I have to push," she hissed.

Carlos quickly lifted the blanket covering Yelina's legs, "She's crowning," he said anxiously.

Sully's eyes widened and he hurried to Yelina's side, taking her hand while Danielle quickly grabbed the camera off of the nightstand because her parents had both wanted the baby's birth filmed. She quickly pressed the RECORD button, placed the camera back on the dresser aimed towards the bed so that everything would be recorded, and then hurried over to the bed with the towels she had gotten.

"Okay, Yelina, I need you to push as hard as you can," Carlos said in a calm voice. "Now!"

Yelina did as she was told and Sully stroked her arm and hand, "You can do it," he said anxiously.

Again, Yelina kept pushing, "Seems like this baby's wanting out!" Carlos said in an anxious voice. "All right, a gentle push should do it and then I can get it out. Danielle, can you grab me a towel?"

Danielle quickly grabbed Carlos a towel and a baby's cry suddenly filled the air as Carlos extracted a healthy-looking baby that was wailing, "It's a boy," Carlos said in a pleased voice. "He seems healthy."

Sully smiled and kissed Yelina's forehead, "I'm so proud of you," he said in a pleased voice.

Tears filled Yelina's eyes as sirens filled the air and Carlos held up the baby for Sully and Yelina to see, "He's so beautiful," Sully said in a delighted voice. "Carlos, thank you so much for delivering him."

Smiling, Danielle slipped out of the room and saw that Rose was now in the kitchen with Bosco, both of them putting together dinner while John put the extended table together and David and Ellie watched a cartoon movie on television, "I hear crying in there," Rose said excitedly. "Did she have the baby?"

"Yes, a little boy," Danielle replied in a pleased voice. "I think the paramedics are on their way up."

Bosco smiled and suddenly sighed, "Maurice, sit at the table and relax," Rose said in a gentle voice. "I think it's very nice that you want to help me, but you need to take it easy like Doctor Hawkes said."

"Sorry, Ma, you're right," Bosco replied, sighing as he sat at the head of the table. "I'm overdoin' it."

John finished setting the table just as Danielle opened the door and let two paramedics into the apartment with their gurney and supplies, "Carlos delivered the baby," Danielle explained to the paramedics, who she recognized as Louise Hamilton and Taylor Dawes. "He did a really good job."

The door to Sully and Yelina's room opened and Carlos shakily hobbled out to let Hamilton and Dawes in, "Nieto, you're missed on the street, man," Dawes said calmly. "Good job on delivering Sully's kid."

Carlos merely nodded and slowly hobbled to the front door, "I'll grab the supplies later," he replied in a tired voice, physically exhausted from delivering the baby. "I should get back downstairs to my family."

Danielle nodded, "Thank you," she said gently, sighing as Carlos silently hobbled out of the apartment.

* * *

 ** _Crime Lab – Las Vegas, Nevada_**

 _Derek William Stokes, BSc in Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. Graduated magna cum laude from NYU_ flashed across the screen along with a picture of Derek and a list of criminal offenses that dated to after he got the degree, "What turned you so bad?" Nick asked softly, deep sorrow in his voice.

Grateful that the lab was mostly empty that day due to it being Christmas, Nick silently got his wallet out and looked at the family picture he had; he remembered everything that happened between him and Derek between Las Vegas and Miami and also at the rave in New York. Derek had been on drugs or alcohol most the time, but during his rare sober times, he had exhibited signs of mental illness and Nick had remembered offering to get him medical help, but Derek had said he wasn't worth saving.

Despite everything that Derek had done, Nick still wanted to help his brother, but didn't know how to do it because Derek was a criminal in the eyes of his parents and the law. Besides, nobody had been around Derek long enough to properly judge if he had a legitimate mental illness or was just pretending to.

"Hey Nick, what are you doing at work today?" Nick suddenly heard Greg ask in a quiet voice.

Nick turned his head and saw Greg lingering in the doorway, "I thought you were with your parents?" Greg asked quietly. "I know they decided to stay here for Christmas, but I thought you were off?"

"I'm just doing research," Nick replied in a quiet voice. "I thought I'd get a little insight on Derek."

Greg frowned, but moved into the room, "He went to university somehow," Nick mused softly.

"Have you talked to anyone since you've been back to work?" Greg asked in a worried voice.

Nick shrugged, "Between rehab, work, and setting up a living area at your place, I haven't had a lot of time," he replied quietly. "I took a room at the far end of the house so Jenny wouldn't get scared."

"Dude, you're not Derek and she understands that," Greg said calmly. "I get why you don't want to live alone anymore, but you have got to stop being scared of Jenny. What happened wasn't your fault."

Nick sighed, but didn't say anything, "My parents are at the house making it nice," he replied softly.

"…What do you think you're doing bringing Ryan in as if he's under arrest?" Grissom's angry voice suddenly filtered through the hallway. "Greg called me and told me that you went to The Palms?!"

Greg froze and Nick frowned, quickly saving his work and logging off the computer before hauling himself up with his crutches, "What's goin' on?" Nick asked in a concerned voice. "C'mon."

Swallowing hard, Greg followed Nick towards the sound of Grissom's unusually angry voice and they were shocked to see Grissom, Catherine, and an uneasy looking Brass standing outside of an interview room while a very pale, trembling Ryan sat at a table inside the room with Emily seated beside him.

Nick frowned and Greg turned pale, "I caused this," Greg said anxiously. "This is my fault."

"Grissom said you had some sort of psychic thing?" Catherine scoffed, glaring at him. "Really, Greg, I know you're struggling with your hearing loss, but to fake being psychic and spreading lies to Grissom…"

Greg frowned and Nick gave him a look, "I wasn't faking it," he said finally. "It's from my Nana Olaf."

Grissom sighed softly, "Are you still on your anti-depressants or did you go off them when I told you what Greg had told me about Lindsey?" he asked firmly, gazing at Catherine. "Tell me the truth."

"That's none of your business," Catherine snapped, her expression angry. "That's between me and…"

Sighing heavily, Greg silently pushed past them and went into the interview room, "I am so sorry this happened," he apologized as he walked over to the table. "Ryan, I had a psychic vision about it."

"I honestly can't remember anything about what happened to me and I am not faking it," Ryan replied in a nervous voice, his body trembling. "Greg, I just had another chemo session yesterday, man…"

Greg looked alarmed, "Get up," he said in a concerned voice. "I'll take you guys back to The Palms."

Emily sighed, "Won't that get you in trouble?" she asked in a concerned voice. "You don't have to."

"I want to," Greg replied as he helped Ryan up. "I really don't care if I get into trouble over it."

Emily silently got up and followed Greg and Ryan from the room, "Grissom, I'm taking Ryan and Emily back to The Palms," Greg said firmly. "There's not anything to hold him and this is ridiculous."

Catherine glared at him, "Fire me if you want, but we're leaving," Greg replied firmly. "See you."

"Okay," Grissom replied in a calm voice. "I'm not going to fire you. Use this as your meal break."

Greg nodded and helped Ryan walk out, "Does Rick even know you're here, Catherine?" Emily asked in a confused, concerned voice. "It's Christmas Day and I thought you'd be at home with your family today."

Catherine's scowl deepened, "Don't pretend you don't know that Rick went back to Florida yesterday and took Lenny with him," she snapped. "He said I need to let Lindsey go, but because of Ryan…"

"Emily, why don't you go with Greg and Ryan?" Grissom cut in. "Nick, I can talk to Catherine with Brass."

Nick nodded and left with Emily, "Let's go in here and chat," Grissom said in a cautious, but calm voice.

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"I wish you could have come, but I understand that you don't want your dad to be alone at Christmas," Eric said into his cell-phone as he sat in his Hummer on the side of a road that led to Robert's house after Robert had invited him to come and cheer Horatio up. "Will I see you tomorrow for breakfast?"

Calleigh responded in such a way that Eric smiled and chuckled mischievously, but his smile suddenly faded when he saw a tired looking Rick slowly walk down the street wearing sunglasses, shoes, dress pants, and a dress shirt with a protective arm around a very scared looking Lenny while the other arm was pulling a small suitcase and balancing a child-size backpack. They both looked exhausted.

Deeply concerned, Eric said a quick goodbye and rolled his window down, "Stetler!" he called out.

Rick froze, glared at Eric briefly, and then led Lenny over to the Hummer, "I thought you were in Vegas on leave?" Eric asked in a quiet, but curious voice. "What are you doing back and where is Catherine?"

"Lenny and I got back to Miami yesterday and Catherine is still in Vegas," Rick replied quietly. "We spent the night at an airport hotel because we were both tired and now we're walking to McDonald's…"

Eric frowned, "Do you want a ride over to Bobby's?" he asked softly. "I'm on my way over there."

Rick sighed and nodded reluctantly, "Lenny, climb in the back of Officer Delko's car, please," he spoke quietly. "I'll put these in the back and then join you. When we get to your uncle's, you can rest."

Lenny quietly obeyed and Rick loaded the bags into the back before getting in the back, both of them keeping silent as Eric drove to Robert's house in Coconut Grove. Once Eric was parked in front of the house, Rick unloaded Lenny and the bags and silently followed Eric to the front door.

Eric silently pressed the doorbell and the door opened, revealing a pleasant looking Robert, "Rick?" Robert asked in a concerned voice, immediately noticing his brother-in-law. "What are you…?"

Rick sighed and quickly ushered Lenny into the house with Eric at his heels, "BJ and Adam are having naps and my uncle is in his room," Bobby said quietly. "Natalia went back home to get more food and Flack's out on a walk. Detective Flack actually came down because Natalia told him I needed help."

"Can we talk alone?" Rick asked, not removing his sunglasses. "Our things are in Delko's car."

Bobby nodded, sensing that something was wrong, "Yeah, let's go out back," he replied softly.

"Lenny, you can go downstairs for a nap if you want," Rick said gently. "Officer Delko will guard you."

Lenny nodded and looked up at Eric questioningly while Rick and Robert silently made their way through the kitchen and out to the garden, "Where's Catherine?" Robert asked in a concerned voice. "Rick?"

Rick silently sat on a chair, "Catherine and I had a disagreement," he replied quietly. "In short, we got information that Ryan helped Lindsey escape and was tortured because of it to the point where his memory of all of it is gone. Catherine accused Ryan of faking memory loss and we argued about it, as there is no tangible evidence that Lindsey is alive. Catherine got very aggressive during the fight."

Robert's eyes widened as Rick removed the sunglasses, revealing multicolored bruises around his eye, "The airport staff saw my eye and let me wear the shades once we were through security," Rick spoke quietly. "Catherine threw a hair dryer at my face and there are bruises under my clothes, however…"

"Catherine went off her meds, didn't she?" Robert asked in a dismayed voice. "I know she's your wife and Lenny's mother, Rick, but she's not welcome at my house as long as she's being so abusive."

Rick nodded, "You should see a doctor about the bruises," Robert commented softly. "They look bad."

"It's Christmas Day," Rick replied, putting the shades back on. "The whole fight freaked Lenny out and we flew back last night. I didn't want to bother anyone, so we slept in this little hotel near the airport."

Robert frowned, "I still have primary custody of Lenny, so I figured it was safer to come back to Miami," Rick explained softly. "Catherine is beyond angry, but I have to think of my son and our safety."

"Rick, you should go to the emergency room," Robert said quietly. "I can drive you over there."

Rick sighed softly, but nodded and got up, "You've got guests," he spoke in a nervous voice.

"They're fine," Robert replied firmly as he and Rick went back inside and Robert grabbed the keys to his truck, his wallet, his badge, and his phone before ushering Rick into the living room where the suitcase and backpack now sat while Eric and Lenny watched TV. "Delko, I'm gonna go run an errand with Rick."

Eric frowned, but nodded and Lenny stayed quiet, "When Natalia and Donnie come back, tell them where I went," Robert said in a quiet voice as he grabbed Rick's suitcase because it would give Rick something to wear besides a suit or a hospital gown. "We should be back by suppertime, I hope."

Before Eric could reply, Robert ushered Rick outside to his truck just as Natalia came back over and saw Rick lingering there in sunglasses, "Sergeant Stetler," Natalia said softly. "I thought you were in Vegas?"

Rick silently eased his way over to the passenger door and Robert quietly whispered in Natalia's ear a brief explanation of what was going on, prompting Natalia to nod, "I'll see you at supper," she finally said in a quiet voice, her concern for Stetler high. "I'll take care of the kids while you're gone. I love you"

Robert gently kissed Natalia, "Thank you," he replied before loading the bag in the back. "Love you."

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

"…He's very healthy and looks like both of us," Sully's voice spoke over the speaker phone.

Danielle smiled, "I'm so happy for you, Mom and Dad," she replied. "Have you thought of a name?"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, "I'll get it," John said as he hurried over to the front door.

"We were thinking about Nicolas," Yelina spoke in a quiet, tired voice. "Because it is Christmas and because, Danielle, you spoke of your friend in Las Vegas who got you and your kids to safety."

Bosco smiled, "If it weren't for that Stokes guy, I wouldn't be married to the most beautiful chick in Manhattan right now," he replied in a pleased voice. "John, who's at the door?"

As John opened the door to reveal Mac standing there with a Tupperware bowl filled with his contribution to the dinner, Danielle and Bosco shared a deep kiss, "I'm sorry I won't be making it back for dinner, but I'm going to stay with Yelina and Nicolas," Sully said. "You guys should probably eat."

Mac smiled, "Your grandmother had her baby, I take it?" he asked, smiling at John. "A boy?"

"Yes," John replied in a pleased voice. "They named him Nicolas after Uncle Nick in Las Vegas."

A wail suddenly filled the air, "It seems Nicolas is hungry," Yelina said. "We love you all. Bye."

There was a click and Danielle hung up the phone, "Detective Taylor, I'm glad the snow didn't stop you from getting here," she said in a kind voice, looking surprised as Mac held out his bowl. "Thank you."

Mac smiled, "I thought I'd bring something," he replied in a kind voice. "I hope you don't mind?"

Danielle opened it and set it with the other food while Rose came out of the nursery with Michael and Emily in her arms, "David, Ellie, get off the Nintendo!" Bosco called out. "John, did you take insulin?"

"Yes, I took my insulin," John replied, taking a chair at the table. "And it's been long enough."

Soon enough, everyone was in their seats at the table and Bosco smiled as he got up to carve the turkey.

* * *

 _ **Mercy Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

Nearly 45 minutes had passed since arriving at the hospital and Rick was lying on exam bed in sweats from his suitcase and a hospital gown with his eyes closed. He had shared that during the argument; Catherine had shoved him into the wall and had also hit his wrist with a hairdryer when he had phoned a cab to come get him, Lenny, and their bags. Needless to say, a complete physical had been done, x-rays had been taken, and he was being urged by nurses and Dr. Montoyan to file an abuse report.

The door opened, but Rick kept his eyes closed simply because he was nervous that his brother-in-law had overruled his desire to keep the police out of the situation, "Rick," a quiet voice spoke.

Rick sighed and opened his eyes, surprised when he saw that Robert was alone, "Doctor Montoyan and the nurses on duty said that you're not filing a report," Robert spoke softly. "May I ask why?"

"You can overrule it because you're an officer of the law," Rick replied with a tired scoff.

Robert looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything, "Catherine needs mental health help, not a stint in jail," Rick continued in a tired voice. "I was in prison because that idiot Sackheim wouldn't let me drop my cover and I can't even imagine Catherine being there despite all of the problems we've had."

"Do you really think Lindsey's still alive?" Robert asked quietly. "I heard about what Greg said…"

Rick shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I'm not going to accuse Ryan of faking memory loss because I myself know what Dennis Sackheim is capable of," he replied softly, sighing as his cell-phone went off.

"I'll get it," Robert said, taking the phone and holding it to his ear. "Hello, Detective Caine speaking."

There was a silence, " _I was looking for Sergeant Stetler_ ," Grissom's voice spoke. " _Where is he_?"

"I'm afraid that Sergeant Stetler isn't available, Doctor Grissom," Robert replied firmly.

Grissom sighed, " _It's good to hear from you, Detective Caine_ ," he replied. " _Where is Rick at_?"

"Rick's in a hospital bed not far from where I'm standing," Robert replied firmly. "Apparently, the disagreement he and Catherine had over the Lindsey thing turned somewhat physical and rough."

There was swearing on the other end and Rick sighed, "I'll talk to Doctor Grissom outside, Rick, all right?" Robert said, seeing that his brother-in-law was in distress. "I have some things to say…"

" _Catherine actually had a meltdown at the Crime Lab and ended up passing out_ ," Grissom explained in a concerned voice. " _She cursed out Greg and Ryan and demanded that Ryan be held responsible for whatever happened to Lindsey if he did see her. She also said some very nasty things about Greg before passing out and I got her in an ambulance. She's at Desert Palms right now getting her medication_."

Robert sighed and Rick, who could hear Grissom, closed his eyes to compose himself, "Just keep Catherine in Las Vegas for a little while so I can straighten my mind out," Rick finally spoke.

"I can do that," Grissom replied calmly. "I'm sorry to bother you with this over Christmas, Sergeant."

There was a click and Rick opened his eyes just as Dr. Montoyan came in with a folder, "Your x-rays," he said in a calm voice. "Fortunately for you, nothing is broken, but you still have very visible bruises…"

Rick sighed wearily, "And they are very painful," he replied softly. "Am I going to be admitted?"

"Unless you feel you want IV fluids, no," Dr. Montoyan replied. "However, I would like you to consider filing a police report against whoever did this to you and also attending domestic violence counseling."

Rick swallowed hard, "I'll consider it," he replied quietly. "If I don't need fluids, can I leave?"

Dr. Montoyan nodded, stunned speechless by Rick's anxiety, "Catherine isn't a bad person," Rick said as he shed his hospital gown and went for his shirt. "We had a daughter kidnapped several years ago and there's talk of her possibly being alive, but it's very complicated. We're all under a lot of stress…"

"I'll get you some prescription pain and anxiety meds to take home," Dr. Montoyan said. "Just hang on."

Once the doctor was gone, Rick got up and put his sweatshirt on, "I just want Catherine to get some help and I'm going to talk to the department counselor in the New Year," he stated. "That's all I want."

Robert nodded and kept quiet as Dr. Montoyan returned with a folder of information and a bag of meds to take for pain and anxiety. Rick nodded his thanks and left with his brother-in-law at his heels.

The ride back to the house in Coconut Grove was short and silent, "We're back," Robert announced in a calm voice as he and Rick walked through the house and saw that Flack, Natalia, Horatio, Lenny, BJ, Eric, and Adam were all watching television. "I'm thinking it's about time we ate Christmas dinner."

"Uncle Rick, what happened to your eye?" BJ asked quietly, his eyes wide. "Did you get beat up?"

Rick sighed patiently, "Yes, but we can discuss it after supper," he replied quietly. "All right?"

Eric silently turned off the TV and everyone filed into the rarely used dining room for supper because there were too many people to use the kitchen table. The table was filled with foods that people wouldn't normally eat for Christmas, but it would be enough for everyone and that was fine.

Robert sat at the head of the table and Natalia sat at his left while Horatio sat on his right; Adam sat next to Natalia in a booster seat while BJ sat next to Horatio and Eric. Rick sat at the far end of the table with Lenny on his left and Flack on his right while all of the food sat in the middle of the massive table.

Quiet talking filled the dining room as everyone helped themselves to the food that was available.

* * *

 _ **The Palms – Las Vegas, Nevada**_

A large dining room table holding plates, cups, and silverware sat in the middle of the suite just out of the way of the couch and television while a portable buffet table of food sat nearby. Tommy had wanted everyone to be comfortable and so he had paid for a catered Christmas dinner to add to that comfort. He had also paid The Palms staff to send up dishes that they needed for a large holiday gathering.

While Tommy had made the arrangements and set the table, Tim, Diana, James, Julliet, Emilio, Jenny, and Jason had taken naps in their respective rooms. Emily and Ryan were on their way back to the suite with Greg and from what Tommy knew, Greg had defied his superiors to get Ryan out of a bad situation.

Satisfied that everything was nice, Tommy took a seat on the couch and relaxed because there was very little do to until Ryan and Emily got back, everyone woke up, and the rest of the guests arrived.

After a few minutes, the suite door opened and Greg came in helping an exhausted Ryan walk while Emily came in behind them, "I may or may not have a job after today," Greg said anxiously as he helped Ryan sit on the couch. "Catherine ended up in a rage and I got Ryan and Emily the heck out of there."

Tommy looked slightly amused, "I like you, Greg," he replied calmly. "You're a very good person and I honestly wish you'd marry Jenny yourself so my grandkid could grow up with a responsible father."

Greg's eyes widened, "Um, we're not really even dating," he replied anxiously. "I just want Jenny and her baby to be safe, so that's why I offered to take them in. As far as romance, she also has a say in it."

"Oh, Greg, I wish you'd consider it because you seem so nice," Tommy spoke in a kind voice, much to the amusement of Emily and Ryan. "Jenny's my oldest and she just really needs someone nice."

Greg silently sat in a chair, "I've just been a crap father and I worry that I'll be a terrible grandfather," Tommy spoke quietly, his doubts resurfacing. "I shouldn't discuss this on Christmas, but…"

Just then, Tim came into the living room with James and Julliet and the twins immediately made a beeline for Emily, who knelt on the floor and let them kiss her, "Oh, my little ones," she said softly.

After a few moments, Emily got up and there was a knock at the door, "I'll start waking people up," she said in a calm voice. "Tim, will you get the door and get our kiddos to the table since I can't lift them?"

Tim quickly got the door and smiled as Judge Stokes, Jillian, and Nick came inside, but James eyed Nick warily, "Julie, is dat bad man from school?" James asked quietly. "Bad man really scared me."

Julliet shrugged, her eyes on Nick, "Daddy, is that the lab lady's friend?" she finally asked worriedly.

Nick froze, as he suddenly realized that James and Julliet were afraid of him, "No, Julliet, that isn't Valera's friend," Tim replied, quickly intervening. "The bad man's name is Derek; that's Nick."

"I need my puzzles," James said in a quiet voice, his head down. "Please, Daddy, my puzzles."

Tim sighed as Diana, Emilio, and Jason came into the front room, "We're gonna eat dinner really soon, kiddo, but you can play with your puzzles after," he said firmly. "Will you and Julliet go sit down?"

James eyed the visible cast on Nick's leg, "What's that band-aid on his leg?" he asked quietly.

"This is a cast," Nick explained in a quiet voice. "The bad man you don't like broke my leg a while ago."

Judge Stokes gave Nick a look, but didn't speak, "I'm sowwy," James spoke quietly. "Does it hurt?"

Tim cleared his throat, prompting James and Julliet to go over to the table and climb into the booster seats that sat in their chairs, "Jenny's just using the bathroom," Diana said in a sympathetic voice.

Jillian looked sympathetic, "I know how she feels," she replied softly. "I went through it seven times."

Diana ushered Emilio over to the table and sat him down with James and Julliet while Tommy silently sat near the head of the table, "Nicky was my little surprise," Jillian said warmly, smiling at her youngest.

"Okay, so Diana can sit on my left with Emilio," Tommy spoke nervously. "Jen, Jason, you can sit wherever you'd like. Emily and Tim obviously should sit with their kids; Ryan, where do you…?"

Ryan sighed from his spot on the couch, "I really have no appetite after my field trip to the Crime Lab," he confessed quietly. "If you don't mind, Tommy, I'm just going to have some water or juice."

"What field trip?" Judge Stokes asked in a concerned voice, his expression upset. "Nicolas…"

Nick frowned, "Catherine and Brass stopped by here, I guess," he replied in a worried voice.

"Ryan, your hands are shaking," Greg observed in a worried voice. "How unwell are you?"

Ryan sighed, "Get the kids eating or they'll get really cranky," he said in a firm voice. "Please."

Diana, Jason, Emilio, Nick Bill, Jillian, Tim, and Emily all took seats at the table as Jenny came out and she immediately sat in the empty seat next to her mother. Greg, however, remained seated in the chair.

"I'm just gonna sit with Ryan," Greg said quietly. "I'll wait til others have eaten and then I'll eat."

* * *

In another part of Las Vegas, Grissom entered the safety of his condo and saw that Sara had prepared a simple, yet elegant Christmas dinner for both of them that included soy turkey, yams, potatoes, stuffing, and other small items and was sitting at the table in wait, "Hey," Grissom said in a kind voice.

"I hope you got Ryan out of there," Sara said in a concerned voice. "Why'd Catherine detain him?"

Grissom sighed, "Anxiety over Lindsey," he replied softly. "I'm not sure if Greg is actually psychic or not, but I really don't think Ryan is faking memory loss. If he helped Lindsey, he really can't remember it."

"What about the whole thing with Warrick?" Sara asked quietly. "Do you think he's in danger?"

Grissom shrugged as he sat at the table and gazed longingly at Sara's stomach, "Just think; next Christmas, there will be four of us," he said fondly. "I'm so happy we created such beauty."

Sara smiled, "I'm glad we could spend a quiet Christmas together," she spoke in a kind voice.

"Me too," Grissom said softly as he picked Sara's hand up and gently kissed it. "Me too."

* * *

 _ **Unknown Location – Miami, Florida**_

"…Clavo, did you bring me some good eats?" Warrick heard a Texan voice hiss. "I'm workin' hard here."

Warrick opened his eyes and saw that Derek was seated at a large table surrounded by tools, expensive looking parts, and tons of papers, "I can't believe you're using your Chemistry degree to make crafts," Clavo said in an amused voice as he set several containers on the table. "I got Chinese takeout."

"These are _not_ crafts," Derek hissed darkly. "I've been doing research on Jenny's family using that computer we have in here. I have no idea why Ivan won't let us bring this CSI freak over to him yet."

Clavo shrugged, "Jenny went to Nicolas in Vegas and took my baby with her and Emily Yokas is in New York hiding with my other baby," Derek hissed coldly. "I've got at least two kids out of my reach."

"What makes you think _you_ could be a dad?" Warrick snapped, glaring at Derek. "You're an addict."

Clavo's eyes widened as Derek stopped what he was doing, got up, and walked over to where Warrick was sitting handcuffed to pipes, "If you had women who were keeping your kids from you, who would you blame?" Derek hissed, his anger growing as he glared at Warrick. "You don't blame the mothers."

Warrick coughed and Derek reared back and swore before slapping him, "Pregnant women are so easily influenced by their FAMILIES!" Derek roared in an angry voice. "Therefore, their families must pay!"

Swearing loudly, Derek continued to thrash Warrick with his fists until Warrick was bleeding and thought he would pass out from pain, "And you said the Crime Lab you work for is a family," Derek hissed in a cold, unforgiving voice. "If you Vegas idiots are so close, how come nobody is here looking for you?"

"Because I'm on leave," Warrick replied in a pained voice. "I can do whatever I want on leave."

Derek looked amused, "You can do whatever you want and yet you were walking the streets of a poor Cuban neighborhood when I mugged you?" he asked in a mocking tone. "Can you not tell the truth?"

"You nearly killed my friend, Nick," Warrick relented coldly. "Did you think I wasn't gonna find you?"

Derek scoffed, "You stalked me because of poor wittle Nicky?" he hissed coldly. "You idiot."

"Did you have something to do with those missing kids and with Ryan Wolfe's torture?" Warrick breathed, quickly tiring from intense pain. "You seem to know a lot more than anyone expected."

Derek's eyes widened and he broke out in manic laughter, "That wasn't me," he said in an amused voice, his eyes twinkling. "That was all Special Agent Dennis Sackheim and he's long gone from Miami."

Warrick cringed, "And soon, it will be _you_ who is long, long gone from Miami, Warrick Brown," Derek promised coldly.

* * *

 ** _Please read and review!_**


	9. Cannot Be Changed - February 2006

_**February**_

 _ **Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital - Miami, Florida**_

"Ryan Wolfe here to see Sarah Wolfe," Ryan said in a nervous voice as he lingered at the front desk after depositing his off-duty gun in a secure box. "I hope she's doing well today; it's been a few days since…"

The nurse nodded and waved Ryan inside, as she was familiar with the young man and found it pleasing that he faithfully visited his mother despite her erratic behavior. Ryan silently went through the double doors and found his mother working at the plant therapy stations near the windows wearing fake jewellery, nice pants, and a pink sweater with her greying hair tied back out of her pale face.

"Ryan James, hello," Sarah said in a quiet voice without looking at him. "Help me with my planting."

Nodding, Ryan put some gardening gloves on and Sarah thrust some seeds at him, "Put these in the planters under the dirt," she instructed, not looking at him. "It's going to be spring very soon."

"These plants will look nice out on the deck when it's warm out," Ryan replied calmly. "Won't they?"

Sarah nodded absentmindedly as she continued planting, but Ryan knew that his mother was incapable of projecting any emotion or affection and had been that way since the attack on her previous behavioral center. She had been overly negative since his father's death, but the attack had stripped her of any sort of emotion and all Ryan could do was spend his days simply helping her with her therapy by himself because she now had bad reactions whenever Tommy or Emily tried to get in touch with her.

As Ryan worked alongside his mother in the plant therapy area, a counselor walked past them and into an area of the center that was used for counseling. At the far end of the rec therapy zone, a figure wearing a hoodie over a janitorial uniform slipped out of a janitorial closet with a cleaning cart and came into the therapy area. Sarah continued working blissfully, but Ryan silently watched the man clean because the man looked familiar to him, but he couldn't think of where they might have met.

In the safety of the Counseling Unit, Rick stepped out of the office where he and Catherine had been undergoing marital counseling since January. She was an outpatient and back on medication, so she was living with Rick and Lenny again, but it wasn't easy for her to be around Robert and his happy family; it reminded her of what she had lost and she was trying to decide if she liked the living arrangement.

As Rick waited for Catherine to complete her private counseling, he happened to look into the rec area and frowned as he recognized Derek wearing a janitor's uniform. Anxiety filled Rick and he strode into the recreation area with his badge visible. Unfortunately for him, Derek noticed his approach and quickly turned away to go the way he had come with the cart in tow because he knew he had to now switch to Plan B of his careful plan. Gaining employment at the center where Jenny's grandmother was living under a fake name, observing her, and simply murdering her had been his now failed Plan A.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryan noticed that Rick was following the janitor down a hallway and he found that strange, but he needed to focus on his mother because simply leaving without an explanation before their therapy time was over would only upset her and he didn't want to do that.

At the far end of the hallway, Derek ripped his hood off and slowly extracted a carefully handcrafted, grenade-like explosive from inside the top of the cart, "I didn't want to do this, but I guess I have to," he said in a cold, dark voice, glaring at Rick venomously. "The Wolfes will pay for taking my baby away…"

Rick's eyes widened and he turned and ran, leaving Derek alone and near the emergency exit door with his bomb and cleaning supplies. Kissing the explosive, Derek set the timer and set it back in the cart. As the timer counted down, Derek sprinted out the emergency exit door, triggering the alarm.

As the staff, patients, and visitors began to react to the alarm, Derek's explosive suddenly went off.

* * *

 _ **Dade Women's Correctional Facility**_

"Lieutenant Caine?" Sergeant Vargas, the warden of the women's facility, said in an official voice as she came out to the visiting area where Horatio was seated. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

Horatio nodded and rose to greet her, "I understand a prisoner wants to talk to me?" he asked softly.

"Yes, Lieutenant," Sergeant Vargas replied in a quiet voice. "She just transferred here in January."

Horatio nodded, frowning when an officer led a handcuffed Dr. Price into the visitation room wearing prison blues that covered a slight bump, " _Oh_ ," he said in a quiet voice. "I think I know what this is."

Dr. Price eyed Horatio warily, but sat down, "Is this Officer Boscorelli's child?" Horatio asked quietly.

"Officer Boscorelli is the only one I've been with," Dr. Price replied quietly. "It was during the…"

Horatio scoffed, "During the time you held him against his will and sexually assaulted him because you needed personal satisfaction?" he asked coldly. "I'm surprised you're being allowed to retain custody."

"The prison wants me to surrender the baby once it's born," Dr. Price replied softly. "No option."

Horatio's expression hardened, "And you don't even have the decency to write the father and let him know that your choice to rob him of his dignity resulted in this consequence," he spoke coldly.

"I don't have to tell him anything," Dr. Price scoffed. "I can tell the law and you can inform him."

Horatio sighed, "I need all of the information first, Doctor Price," he replied in an impatient, firm voice.

"… _All units be advised that there has been an explosion at Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital and all units are requested on scene_ ," a voice suddenly spoke over Horatio's radio. " _This is not a drill_!"

Dr. Price frowned, but didn't say anything, "I'll pass the information along to Officer Boscorelli, Doctor Price," Horatio said as he stood up. "I'm sorry, Sergeant, but I have to get to this call ASAP."

"Tell Maurice that I'm sorry," Dr. Price spoke quietly as she stood up. "I really mean that."

All Horatio could do is nod as he silently left the room and hoped that the explosion wasn't a bad one.

* * *

"… _Structural instability…multiple casualties…."_

Debris littered the ground where the pristine behavioral center had once stood and every CSI in the city had been called in by the police whether or not they were on shift. They, however, had very little to do until the fire department and the Bomb Squad made sure that what was left of the building was safe to enter and search for survivors. Until it was safe, every police officer in Miami guarded the perimeter and all Calleigh, Eric, Natalia, Jesse, Robert, Walter, Alexx, Tim, Emily, and the other CSI's could do was watch the work. Emily wouldn't have normally been called, but she was needed to counsel survivors.

"Look, think me an overprotective husband if you want, but I don't want you going inside what's left of the center because it might harm you and the baby," Tim stated firmly as he stood there with an arm around his wife and his eyes on her. "We don't know what it will be like inside and I want you…mmph…"

Emily cut Tim off by kissing him, deeply grateful that he cared enough to speak up, "I agree," she replied in a quiet voice, giving him a smile before she suddenly felt uneasy. "Um, I'll be right back, all right?"

Deeply concerned, Tim followed Emily back to the Hummer they had shared to the crime scene and watched as she flipped through a day planner to the current date, "Oh!" she said in an anxious voice as her eyes widened. "Ryan…Ryan was supposed to visit Mom this morning. He…he might be inside."

Tim frowned and Emily sighed anxiously, swearing as she smacked the day planner, "Someone needs to get in there right _now_ ," she hissed, glaring at Tim. "I don't care if they have to suit up or whatever!"

Swearing under his breath, Tim hurried back to the group, "Um, we need access," he said anxiously. "Emily just checked her day planner and Ryan was supposed to be here this morning…"

"His mother's here, isn't she?" Jesse asked in a concerned voice. "That's what he does with his days…"

Robert quickly hurried over to where Tripp and the other officers were and held a hushed conversation before Tripp came over to the CSI's, "Wolfe's in that mess?" Tripp asked worriedly. "Seriously?"

As if remembering something, Robert suddenly paled, "Rick and Catherine come here for counseling," he said in a horrified voice. "I think Rick said something about it this morning at breakfast."

"We can't do anything until we're given the all clear,"Calleigh replied firmly. "Detective Caine!"

Irritated that Calleigh seemed to have an apathetic attitude about Ryan and Stetler's safety, Robert marched across the grass to where the fire department and Bomb Squad were talking, "There may be officers inside," he said in a sharp voice. "Is there any way we could get any of our people in there?"

While everyone discussed the possibility, Alexx ran over to Robert, "Ryan and Stetler are in there?" she asked in a concerned voice, her expression anxious. "Ryan's got cancer and he shouldn't be in there…"

Just then, Horatio's Hummer pulled into the area after Horatio had broken the speed limit to get there.

* * *

Inside the wreckage, anxious whimpers and coughs filled the air and prompted Rick to look up from where he had been thrown in the explosion, "Cat?" he called out anxiously. "Catherine?"

There was coughing and Catherine extracted herself from a space where a doorway had been, "I saw on my way out when the bomb went off and I jammed myself in a doorway," she replied anxiously.

Rick sighed and shakily got to his feet, realizing that the floor had fallen through and debris was also on top of wherever they were, "My therapist's in pieces," Catherine said shakily, embracing him tightly.

"Derek Stokes did it and I tried to chase him, but he put a bomb in his cleaning cart and took off outside," Rick said in an anxious voice, frowning when he heard anxious yelling. "Hello?!"

There was coughing and a loud thump, "It's this way," Catherine said, pointing into the dark.

Swallowing hard, Rick took Catherine's hand and they went into the dark together, deeply concerned when they heard anxious coughing and wheezing amidst anxious whispers, "… _No_ ," a voice breathed.

Rick shoved aside some debris and was horrified to see Ryan laying in a pile of glass, plastic, dirt, and ceiling tiles holding his unconscious mother in his arms, "Ryan!" he called out anxiously. "Ryan…"

"Help…help me get her out," Ryan breathed, not looking up. "I know I wasn't the best son…"

Catherine came into the area and gasped, "Just get her out of here," Ryan breathed. "Please…"

A loud cracking sound suddenly filled the air and Catherine came closer to Ryan, "Are you injured?" she asked in a concerned voice, worried about Ryan's unusual behavior. "Did you hit your head?"

"I have no idea," Ryan replied in a trembling voice, holding tight to his mother. "Get her out…please."

Small beams of light suddenly shone through the darkness, "Anyone here?" a voice called out.

"Horatio!" Rick called out, recognizing his colleague's voice. "We're back here…with Ryan!"

Ryan cringed at the noise and gagged as firefighters and an anxious looking Horatio came into view carrying supplies and sporting head lamps, "Get Mister Wolfe and his mother out of here immediately, please," Horatio spoke sternly, quietly horrified at the sight of Ryan and his mother laying in the debris.

"Lieutenant, the woman's not breathing or moving," one of the firefighters spoke up anxiously.

Ryan whimpered, very close to tears, and Horatio scowled at the firefighters, "No…" Ryan breathed anxiously, cringing as he tried to sit up because he was in pain. "She…she can't be dead…no…."

"Are you going to follow my orders?" Horatio asked sternly. "Get them both out of here _right now_."

While the firefighters busied themselves with Ryan and his mother, Horatio gazed at Rick and Catherine, "Horatio, it was Derek Stokes," Rick spoke anxiously. "I saw him plant a bomb in a cleaning cart."

Horatio frowned and Ryan suddenly let out an anxious, but weak scream as firefighters attempted to pry his mother away from him, "Lieutenant, contain your CSI," one of the bigger firefighters hissed.

"I hope you know your chief can expect a call from me," Horatio spoke coldly, glaring at him.

Suddenly, Ryan began to tremble and he threw up, his unsteady grip allowing the firefighters to get him secured in a neck collar and on a backboard, "He has cancer, you dolts!" Rick snarled. "If anyone manhandles CSI Wolfe in any way, I _will_ hear about it and have you fired faster than your heads spin!"

Horatio watched as the firefighters quickly got an oxygen mask on Ryan and lifted the backboard, "We'll…have to bring another board down here," another firefighter said. "We'll be quick."

As the firefighters left with Ryan in tow, Horatio knew that they wouldn't be quick and didn't need to be simply because he could tell that Sarah Wolfe was dead, "There are other survivors," he said, hearing faint whimpering and coughing in other areas. "We should clear out so the fire department can…"

"I think Ryan and Emily need to have their mother's body," Rick spoke quietly. "We can carry it."

Before Horatio could reply, Rick gently lifted Sarah from the floor, "Rick," Catherine spoke softly.

"If one of our children were dead, we'd want to be able to bury them," Rick replied quietly.

Nodding, Catherine silently followed Rick and Horatio quickly got in front so he could lead them out of the mess to safety. As they climbed out of the debris, they heard loud arguing over by the Hummers amidst loud ambulance sirens that were quickly disappearing into the distance, indicating that paramedics had gotten Ryan out and were now on the way to a safe hospital where he'd be helped.

Trusting that Rick would take care of Ryan's mother, Horatio followed the noise and saw that Emily and Calleigh were facing off, "You can't just run off to the hospital with your brother," Calleigh said in an unusually angry voice. "You were called on scene to counsel any survivors and we need you here…!"

"Calleigh, really, that could take _hours_ ," Emily scoffed. "My brother was just taken by ambulance…!"

Tim sighed and put his hands on Emily's shoulders, frowning as Horatio approached, "Ladies," Horatio said in a quiet voice. "This is a very serious situation and it could be hours before we are allowed into the remains of the behavioral hospital. Instead of arguing, please gather what evidence we can from the grounds and get it back to the lab. Speed, Emily, I need to speak with you both about a serious matter."

Emily, however, could see beyond Horatio and recognized the body in Rick's arms, "I know what you want to talk about, Horatio," she spoke quietly, her eyes sad. "Alexx, could you please go see to it?"

Quickly recognizing the woman as Emily's mother, Alexx nodded and silently went over to Rick while Tim put his arms around Emily, "Someone needs to notify Tommy," Emily said softly. "He's got his meeting with Dr. Higgins and the hospital today to see if he can be released back to his life on a trial period."

"It will take hours for survivors to be found, extracted, and stabilized to a point where they might want a counselor," Horatio spoke quietly. "Eric, go see if the gate has any security footage of the incident."

Nodding, Eric silently made his way across the grass towards the gate, "Natalia, please do what you can for the victims and survivors with Victims Assistance resources," Horatio spoke quietly. "Calleigh, I'd like you to search the grounds we have access to and see if any evidence can be found and collected; I'd like you to take Jesse with you. Walter, I'd like you to go with Alexx to the morgue and watch the autopsy."

Calleigh, Natalia, Jesse, and Walter quickly separated, "Speed, please take Emily to the hospital and get Ryan's clothes because they are evidence," Horatio spoke quietly. "Emily, I know you're upset over your mother and Ryan, but I need you to talk to your older brother personally and also watch over Ryan."

"What are you going to do, H?" Tim asked quietly, not moving from Emily's side. "This is a mess."

Horatio sighed and got his cell-phone out, "I've got a call to make to New York and then I'll get to helping," he replied, remembering his promise to Dr. Price that he would personally inform Officer Boscorelli of his baby.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan – New York**_

Bosco lay asleep in a chair with a blanket over his body while his left arm was outstretched on the armrest and hooked to a chemo machine. He had lost most of his hair in January and Danielle had shaved it for him, but it was growing back and nestled under a bandana sporting the NYPD logo.

After Christmas and New Year's, Bosco and Danielle had sat down with Sully, Yelina, Nicolas, John, David, Ellie, Michael, and Emily and had set out a schedule so that everyone could get everything done they needed to get done. Since Bosco was doing chemo twice a week, he wasn't even able to return to desk duty yet because he had been ordered to take it easy after his scare over the holidays.

As much as Danielle wanted to stay at home full-time with Michael and Emily, she had agreed to do shifts with FDNY three times a week so the family wouldn't starve; she would work while John was at university and David and Ellie were in school until suppertime on her scheduled days. Bosco didn't mind being able to spend more time with Michael and Emily, as he still hurt from not being there when they were born. Yelina spent her time taking Nicolas to mommy-baby activities around the city and also doing some teaching at NYU because she still carried the rank of detective and wanted to help out financially.

When Yelina was teaching, Sully took care of Nicolas and worked from the apartment for Victims Assistance so he could be around to help Bosco with Michael and Emily if he needed it. John had managed to persuade his parents to let him get a part-time job for a few hours each evening to help and promised to keep his grades and work at the lab steady. Wanting the best work environment for John, Bosco had quietly called in some favors and Chief Sinclair had quietly gotten John a job cleaning the Crime Lab in the evenings between shifts and he had promised that it would be kept a secret from Mac.

Between school and his cleaning job, John drove his father to chemo and got him juice or whatever he needed and worked on homework at the same time. It wasn't a perfect arrangement, but it worked.

As John came over to the chair where Bosco slept, he noticed that his father's cell-phone was buzzing and he answered it, "Hello?" he asked in a quiet voice, knowing that the session was nearly done.

" _Hello, my name is Lieutenant Horatio Caine of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab_ ," Horatio's calm voice spoke. " _I'm looking to speak to Maurice Boscorelli about an urgent matter. Did I reach the right number_?"

John frowned and gently nudged his father's arm, "Dad, you've got a call," he spoke quietly.

Bosco stirred and opened his eyes as he looked at John, "What?" he asked in a groggy voice.

"You have a phone call," John spoke quietly, taking a seat. "From Lieutenant Caine in Miami."

Bosco frowned, "Can you hold the phone to my ear?" he asked, suddenly feeling unsettled.

John nodded and did as he was asked, "This is Maurice Boscorelli," Bosco said groggily.

"Officer Boscorelli, I need to talk to you about something pertaining to your assault by Doctor Price several months ago," Horatio spoke quietly. "Doctor Price requested to speak with me today at the correctional facility and it turns out that there's a complication in the current situation that does involve you. I thought I had better contact you personally instead of allowing you to hear about it elsewhere."

Bosco frowned, but didn't say anything, "Doctor Price is pregnant with your child," Horatio said quietly.

Terror filled Bosco, "What?!" he asked anxiously. "I don't get it. How can you be sure it's mine?"

John frowned, having overheard Horatio's words, "Doctor Price claimed it was," Horatio replied quietly.

"Um, I would like a paternity test if I can have one," Bosco replied firmly. "Without one, I can't…"

There was a sigh, "I will investigate further," Horatio replied calmly. "Thank you for your time."

Swallowing hard, Bosco let John take the phone away, "I need to talk to your mother about this privately while you're at work," he spoke shakily before eyeing the machine. "It's done. I need this thing out."

John nodded and silently went to grab a nurse, not saying anything as he returned with one, "Did you want me to go by a drive-thru on the way home, Dad?" he asked softly, watching as the nurse disconnected the chemo machine and made sure his father was comfortable. "I certainly can."

"No, I have shakes at home," Bosco replied quietly, slowly standing up. "Can…can we just go?"

Nodding, John gathered his father's things, helped him into his coat, and helped him walk outside to the street where the Suburban was parked. Bosco got into the passenger seat and John got into the driver's seat, both of them unsure how to react to what Horatio had told them. It was very unexpected news.

Despite the weather, John managed to get the Suburban back to the building relatively fast and he quietly helped his father out of the car and inside. When they reached the apartment, they found Sully inside making supper while Nicolas napped in a playpen and Michael and Emily sat in their swings.

"How was chemo?" Sully said in a kind voice, frowning when he saw Bosco's expression. "Bosco?"

Bosco sighed and looked at John briefly before planting himself on the couch just as the phone rang, "Put your bookbag away and get your stuff ready for work," Bosco said as Sully went to the phone.

Nodding, John took his bag to his room, "This is John Sullivan," Sully said calmly into the phone.

" _Sully, it's Rick Stetler_ ," Rick's voice spoke amidst the sound of loud voices. " _Something's happened_ …"

Sully frowned, "Where are you, anyway?" he asked quietly. "It sounds like a madhouse over there."

" _I'm at a hospital_ ," Rick replied in an anxious voice as the noise lessened. " _Sully, this is serious_."

As Sully listened to Rick speak, Bosco slowly got up and made his way into the bathroom to throw up because he was not only sick from chemo, he was horrified about what he had been told by Horatio.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade University Hospital – Miami, Florida_**

"Tommy, how goes the packing?" Dr. Higgins asked in a kind voice as she came into the hospital room and saw Tommy dressed in street clothes and packing his things. "You've worked hard for this day."

Tommy sighed, "I'm relieved that the meeting went well and you all think I'm ready to go home, but I really hope I can manage," he replied in a quiet voice. "I'm glad I can continue outpatient counseling."

Dr. Higgins nodded, "Diana should be here any minute to pick me up," Tommy said in a quiet voice.

Just then, Emily came into the room after being driven to the hospital by Tim and making a brief stop downstairs to get information on Ryan's condition, "Hey," she said in a kind voice. "What's up?"

"Doctor Higgins and the hospital decided that I'm well enough to go home as long as I keep taking my meds and doing outpatient counseling once a week," Tommy replied calmly. "Diana's on her way."

Emily nodded, her expression somber, "Tommy, I need to talk to you," she spoke. "Can we sit?"

Nodding, Tommy sat on the couch and Emily joined him, prompting Dr. Higgins to sit in a chair, "There was an explosion today at the behavioral center where Ryan moved Mom," Emily spoke quietly. "Ryan was doing a therapy visit with Mom when a bomb went off and did a lot of damage to the premises…"

Dr. Higgins's eyes widened, "Mom was killed," Emily spoke quietly. "Ryan is here with severe injuries."

Tommy sighed sadly and swallowed hard, "Wow," he replied in a trembling voice, tears in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Dr. Higgins spoke in a quiet voice. "Tommy, if you need to talk about it…"

Tommy nodded, quickly wiping his eyes, "Does Ryan need blood or anything, Emily?" he asked softly.

"He's in surgery right now," Emily replied softly. "Tim went up there to wait for news."

Tommy nodded and silently finished packing his personal items into the box he had gotten from storage, "Um, I should stick around to see how Ryan does," he spoke numbly. "Someone needs to call Jen."

Emily sighed softly and stood up, prompting Tommy to do the same, "Will you show me where Tim's waiting?" Tommy asked quietly, his expression somber. "If Ryan needs blood, I can give it to him…"

As Tommy and Emily left the room with Dr. Higgins, Diana arrived, "Diana," Tommy spoke shakily, tears filling his eyes again as he looked at his wife. "There…there was an explosion at Mom's center…"

Diana frowned, "Ryan was there and is hurt, but Mom was killed," Tommy spoke shakily. "I…I need to go and see if Ryan needs blood. I know I said we'd go out to dinner to celebrate my release, but…"

"Dinner can wait," Diana spoke gently. "I'll take your stuff and tell the kids. Go wait for news on Ryan."

Tommy nodded and followed Emily through the hospital while Diana went downstairs. They arrived in the waiting room and saw that Rick was there with Tim and that a person in scrubs was also there.

"Excuse me, do you have an update on Ryan Wolfe?" Emily asked quietly. "We're his siblings."

The surgeon nodded, "Ryan suffered a skull fracture; a sprained wrist; second-degree burns to his neck, back, and arms; first-degree burns to his face; punctured lungs; broken ribs; and internal injuries, as well as some torn spinal muscles," he explained in a quiet voice. "He's being monitored in the SICU."

"Does he need blood?" Tommy asked anxiously. "I know that he and I have the same blood type…"

While Tommy, Emily, and Tim talked with the doctor, Rick silently moved into the hallway and fished out his cell-phone. He needed to warn New York about what Derek Stokes had done so they could be ready in case the psychopath decided to return to the city and finish what he started the year before.

* * *

 _ **Crime Lab – New York, New York**_

The lab was quiet, as it was now between shifts and Mac found himself in his office wrapping up paperwork and planning out John's spring proficiencies. As he worked, the phone suddenly rang.

"Mac Taylor," Mac said as he picked up the phone and held it to his ear. "How can I help you?"

There was a sigh, " _This is Sergeant Rick Stetler from Miami_ ," Rick said. " _I witnessed Derek Stokes plant a bomb at a mental health facility in Miami that caused an explosion. I thought you should be aware_."

Mac frowned and as he thought of how to respond, he saw a familiar face wearing sweats, shoes that were covered with foot covers, goggles, a dust mask, gloves, and a janitorial shirt silently push a cleaning cart down a hallway towards the morgue, " _I'll contact you again as the situation develops_ ," Rick stated.

A click sounded and Mac set the phone down, both confused and concerned as to why John was at the lab after hours dressed like a janitor when his co-op was during day shifts. Wanting answers from his trainee, Mac silently got up and went the direction that John had gone just a few minutes earlier.

Not wanting to scare John or make him feel intimidated, Mac hid in the shadowy part of the morgue and watched as John swept the floor, mopped the floor, and cleaned each surface carefully with spray and a rag as if he had done it before. Once John was finished cleaning the morgue, he put the supplies away.

"John?" Mac asked kindly as he came out of the shadows. "I didn't know you had a cleaning job here?"

John sighed, "I talked my parents into letting me get a part-time job to help with bills cause my dad had a health scare over Christmas and can't even do desk work until a doctor clears him," he explained in a concerned voice, worried that he would be asked to leave. "Chief Sinclair granted my dad the favor for me and I sometimes shovel snow for the precinct if they ask, but I mostly clean here at change of shift."

Mac nodded, his expression thoughtful, "Mom does shifts with FDNY three days a week from nine a.m. til supper and even Grandma teaches a class once in a while at NYU," John replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

Surprise crossed Mac's face, "Sorry?" he asked in a surprised voice. "I'm surprised, not upset. I think you're doing a good thing for your family as long as it doesn't affect your grades or your health."

"If anyone else knew about this, I think they'd get nervous," John replied quietly. "Please…"

Mac sighed, "I'm not going to tell anyone," he promised calmly. "How much do you have to do?"

"I start with the morgue, I do the labs after that, and then I do the offices that are left unlocked," John replied in a calm voice. "It usually takes a couple of hours and then I finish by doing the bathrooms."

Mac nodded, "Come to my office after you're done and I'll give you a ride home," he said calmly. "I'm here working on paperwork, so it won't be an inconvenience and I'd rather you be safe going home."

"Thank you, Detective," John replied calmly, deeply relieved. "I'll come to your office when I'm done."

Once John was gone, Mac returned to his office to figure out how he could help the Boscorelli family.

* * *

 ** _Crime Lab/Police Department – Miami, Florida_**

Sarah Wolfe's badly burned and lifeless body lay on the metal exam table still in the body bag that she had been moved from the scene in. Alexx knew she had a job to do, but she found herself worried that Ryan would also end up on her table because he too had been in the explosion at the mental hospital.

Memories of her and Ryan being taken hostage and tortured before being separated filled Alexx's mind as she stood before the body. If she ended up losing Ryan too, she might choose to resign as M.E.

The door to the morgue opened and Alexx quickly composed herself and looked relieved when Robert came into view wearing a lab coat over a dress shirt and khakis, "Detective Caine," she said quietly.

Robert, however, didn't speak and instead silently studied the body for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh, "I'm sure that Emily and Ryan are very grateful that you're the one doing the post on their mother, Doctor Woods," he spoke quietly. "Delko came back to the lab with footage from the gat security cameras and Catherine is also here saying that Rick witnessed Derek Stokes plant the bomb…"

Alexx frowned, but didn't say anything, "I've never been at a post for the parent of someone I personally know," Robert spoke quietly. "I don't mind collecting evidence, but will someone come to identify…?"

"I'm sure someone will," Alexx replied quietly, tears brimming in her eyes. "It will give me time…"

Alexx sighed, "To be honest, I haven't been the same emotionally since Ryan and I were taken hostage, tortured, and then separated," she replied, looking up at Detective Caine. "I've tried going to counseling and talking it out with my husband, but I still get nightmares. Then today, this explosion happens…"

"Have you thought about perhaps taking some time off to recover emotionally?" Robert asked softly.

Alexx shrugged, "I'm not sure if it would do any good if Ryan doesn't survive what happened today," she replied in a tired, saddened voice. "I know he spent his days visiting his mother at her hospital…"

Tears filled Alexx's eyes and she sniffled, prompting Robert to fish a package of tissues out of the pocket of his lab coat and offer it to her, "Here," he spoke gently. "This doesn't have to be done right away."

Smiling at Robert, Alexx took the tissues and sat down in a plastic chair to use them, "You're very much like your uncle," Alexx spoke in a shaky voice, gazing up at him. "I know you've had a hard life…"

"My mother wouldn't want me to live a terrible life simply because she was murdered when I was very young and I witnessed it," Robert spoke quietly. "My daughter would also want me to…"

Alexx nodded and the two lingered in silence for several minutes before Walter came in wearing a lab coat over his clothes, "Hey, sorry I'm late," Walter said nervously. "Detective Caine, you're needed."

"Where?" Robert asked in a curious voice, hoping he had cheered Alexx up even a little bit.

Walter pointed up, "In the AV Lab," he replied. "I guess the gate cams picked up something?"

Nodding, Robert silently jogged out of the morgue and quickly made it upstairs to the AV Lab where Tyler Jenson and Eric were. Through the transparent windows, Robert could see that Jesse was unloading Ryan's clothes from a paper bag and assumed Tim had stayed at the hospital with Emily.

"Walter said that you wanted to see me?" Robert asked as he went into the quiet AV Lab.

Tyler nodded and gestured to the screen, "Watch this and tell me what you see," he replied.

Once the PLAY button was pressed, Eric and Robert watched as a ratty-looking car sat near the very visible back entrance of the behavioral hospital with the visor down so the driver's face couldn't be seen clearly. The camera shuddered briefly, but then Derek Stokes came into view wearing a janitor's uniform and waving a gun while looking angry and shouting. He quickly got into the passenger side of the car.

The visor suddenly lifted and Eric's eyes widened as he watched Derek Stokes brandish a gun at a battered looking Warrick, who sat behind the wheel, "That's Warrick Brown," Eric said quietly.

Words were exchanged and Derek brandished the gun before Warrick drove off out of view of the gate camera, "Is…is that _Warrick_?" Catherine's anxious voice suddenly spoke. "Behind the wheel?"

Eric looked grim and Robert paled, "Doesn't this Warrick fellow work for the Las Vegas Crime Lab?" he asked in a shocked voice, turning to look at Catherine. "I remember meeting him when I was out there."

Catherine frowned at Robert, "Did you meet Warrick?" she asked in a quiet voice. "I don't recall…"

"There were times when my uncle left the hospital to rest and I was alone expect for uniforms outside my door," Robert replied in a quiet voice. "Warrick came by and asked me a lot of questions about my father's connection to the Russian mafia and if the Vegas PD should expect more trouble from them…"

Catherine's eyes widened in shock, "You were lying in a hospital bed after almost dying in the desert and Warrick asked you questions about your father's connection to the Russian mafia?" she asked softly.

Nodding, Robert silently left the AV Lab and made a beeline for the break room, clearly anxious over the fact he had to discuss what happened to him in connection with the current case. He silently sat on the couch, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes, engaging in a deep breathing technique he had learned during his continued counseling. He was the new guy at the lab, yes, but even he had his limits.

The door opened and footsteps filled the room, but Robert ignored them, "Bobby," a voice spoke.

Robert opened his eyes and saw Catherine lingering, "Is this the first time you told anyone about this?" she asked softly, sitting in a chair. "I don't remember you mentioning it to anyone before."

"I was going through so much then that I didn't think much of it and I simply asked the uniforms to not let Warrick in anymore after he visited five times and asked the same questions," Robert spoke softly.

Catherine nodded, "I know you and Warrick are friends, but what we both saw on the surveillance tape is very clear," Robert spoke quietly. "I'm sure Delko will tell my uncle, but you have to tell Grissom."

"I'll tell Grissom once we have a final body count," Catherine promised. "It's still chaos over there."

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

Night had fallen by the time John finished cleaning the Crime Lab and true to his word, Mac had driven him home and walked him to his apartment door before leaving. As John entered the apartment, he could see that the master bedroom door was closed and that his grandfather was sitting on the couch, quietly reading the paper and also making a list. Sully smiled at John, but didn't speak right away.

"Your parents are talking in their bedroom about the whole Doctor Price thing," Sully explained quietly.

John nodded, "I overheard the call cause Dad was doing chemo when he got it," he replied softly.

"Then you know your dad is probably upset about it and your mom's just being there for him," Sully replied in a concerned voice. "Your grandma's putting Nicolas to bed, David and Ellie are already in bed, and your mom put Michael and Emily to bed after supper. She worked until about six today."

As John yawned, Danielle came out of the master bedroom with an empty suitcase and left the door open a crack, "Your dad's gone to bed for the night," she explained softly, gazing at John. "Dad, here."

Sully got up when he saw the suitcase, "Thanks," he replied, taking it. "I should be back in a few days."

"Where are you going, Grandpa?" John asked in a concerned voice. "You're not moving out, are you?"

Sully shook his head, "A young man I helped out a few years ago was involved in an explosion down in Miami that killed his abusive mother," he replied calmly. "Rick Stetler called and told me about it and said that the young man is in hospital with serious injuries, so I'm going to go and visit him."

"I hope you'll be safe and come back to Nicolas and I," Yelina said, overhearing Sully's explanation as she came out of the bedroom that she shared with him and Nicolas. "I want to send some things along."

Sully nodded and embraced Yelina, "I will," he replied softly. "I just have to go be there for Ryan Wolfe."

"He's lost his mother and it's good he has you," Yelina replied softly. "You're a good person, my love."

The two kissed and Danielle sighed, "John, you look tired," she said calmly. "Check your sugar, have a snack if you need to, and go get ready for bed. I know you're 17, but you've got a busy day tomorrow."

"Night Mom, night Grandma and Grandpa," John murmured as he hugged them all. "Love you."

Yelina sighed, "I guess you have to plan your trip, but get some sleep first and I'll help you tomorrow," she said softly as she hugged Sully and led him into their bedroom. "Goodnight, love you all."

As John went to his and David's room, Danielle sighed, locked the front door, and silently returned to the safety of the master bedroom. Bosco was lying in bed, slowly drifting into a tea-induced sleep.

"John got home safe," Danielle spoke softly as she got into bed. "How are you doing, Maurice?"

Bosco sighed sleepily, "I'm not sure yet," he replied softly. "Maybe I'll figure it out tomorrow."

Danielle sighed and gently rubbed Bosco's back as Bosco exhaled softly and began to cry quietly into his pillow.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

A peaceful silence filled the Crime Lab and Grissom relaxed at his desk with a book on various insects that Sara had gotten him. While he was working, she was off buying things for their unborn children and for the new condo they had bought because neither of their places had room for them and two babies.

They had gotten married at a quiet spot on New Year's Eve with only Brass and Greg as witnesses and had celebrated by going out to dinner alone and then spending a night in a suite at the Rio. Now, as Grissom sat there reading his wedding present, he was looking forward to what was coming soon.

Suddenly, the phone rang and Grissom picked it up with the book still open on his desk, " _Grissom, there's been an explosion at the Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital in Miami_ ," Catherine's voice spoke anxiously without saying hello. " _The Miami PD's still down at the site doing extraction and rescue_ …"

"Catherine, I don't understand why you're calling me about this," Grissom replied in a confused tone.

There was a sigh, quiet talking, and a throat clearing, " _A Sarah Wolfe was killed in the explosion and I've been told that that is the grandmother of Jenny Wolfe_ ," Catherine spoke quietly. " _A CSI named Ryan Wolfe was injured and Rick witnessed Derek Stokes plant an explosive in a cleaning cart before fleeing the scene. Security cams show Derek getting into a car that was driven by Warrick, but we don't…_ "

Grissom's eyes widened in shock just as Jenny came into the office carrying a few folders filled with paperwork per her job. To everyone's surprise, Ecklie had given Jenny some training and a temporary job as an administrative assistant to keep her busy and relaxed. So far, she was doing a good job. To hear that something terrible had happened to her family and that Warrick was involved…

"Catherine, send me whatever information you can," Grissom said worriedly. "I'll call you back."

Grissom silently hung up the phone and watched as Jenny set the files in his inbox, "Jenny, sit down a moment," he said in a quiet voice, hating what he now had to do. "How are you feeling these days?"

"Good, sir," Jenny replied anxiously. "I…I hope Nick or Greg haven't been saying I've been slacking…"

Grissom shook his head, "Everyone's been telling me that you've been doing well," he replied softly.

Jenny nodded, but didn't say anything, "I just got a call from Miami and there was a very serious explosion at the Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital," Grissom spoke slowly. "I'm sorry to tell you that your grandmother, Sarah Wolfe, was killed in the explosion and your Uncle Ryan was badly injured."

"What?" Jenny replied in a quiet, trembling voice as her eyes filled with tears. "Why?"

Grissom sighed, "I haven't seen my grandmother in a while and we really didn't get along, but my Uncle Ryan has cancer," Jenny spoke in a shaky voice. "I know he made sure my grandma was safe there…"

A quiet sob escaped Jenny's throat and Grissom offered her a tissue from the box on his desk, "Do the cops in Miami know who did this and why?" Jenny asked softly. "I can't imagine why anyone would…"

"It was Derek Stokes who blew the place up," Grissom spoke. "We don't know why he did it."

Jenny frowned, but didn't say anything and gently placed her hands over her abdomen, which was beginning to expand. As Grissom and Jenny sat there in silence, Greg came into the office with Sofia.

"Grissom, I need you to sign off on Sofia's evaluation so she can go into the field," Greg said kindly, his smile fading fast as he suddenly saw Jenny crying. "Hey, Jenny, what's wrong? Why are you upset?"

Grissom frowned, "There was an explosion at the behavioral hospital in Miami where Jenny's grandmother lives and her grandmother was killed," he explained. "Her uncle was also injured."

Sofia's eyes widened in horror and Greg immediately sat next to Jenny, sighing when she melted into his arms and continued to cry, "Jenny, maybe this would be a good time to go visit the Stokes Ranch like Nick's mom invited you to at Christmas," Greg spoke as he held her. "It might be safer for you and the baby to go off the radar…"

Jenny pulled away looking concerned, "If Derek went to such trouble to hurt your family, he might come try to hurt you and I really, really don't want anything bad to happen to you," Greg spoke in a sad voice.

Grissom looked thoughtful, "I know my hearing aids wouldn't allow such a lovely young lady like you to go for a guy like me, but I want you to have a chance to go for someone you like," Greg spoke in a quiet voice, embarrassed that he felt ready to cry. "I want you to have that baby and then it can grow…."

Greg suddenly trailed off, going wide-eyed as Jenny suddenly kissed his cheek, "You're very kind and you're very sweet, Greg," Jenny spoke softly. "I think I will go visit Nick's parents in Texas for a while because you're right about it being safer and they deserve to be grandparents even Derek if is evil enough to harm my family."

Swallowing hard, Greg nodded silently and Jenny gently stroked his face, "I hope that once it's safe, we can keep going out like we've been doing?" she asked softly. "You're very good at being company and it's pleasurable."

Greg nodded, "I'm going to go find a phone and phone Mrs. Stokes," Jenny said, slowly getting up.

Jenny quickly left and Sofia also left because she was concerned about Ryan and wanted to find out information on him, "How is the living situation going between you, Jenny, and Nick anyway?" Grissom asked in a curious voice

"Nick's not around a lot," Greg admitted softly. "I think he feels guilty about what Derek did and it makes him extremely sad to be around Jenny. He's told me that he feels bad about what happened, as Jenny didn't get pregnant by choice and Derek's apparently got a record that dates back several years. He wants to help Jenny, but he doesn't know how to ask if she wants it."

Grissom frowned, deeply confused, "He seems to think he should have to be responsible for his brother and wants to go looking for him," Greg explained in a concerned voice. "Nick thinks that Derek can be helped and wants to help him by finding him and getting him into a psychiatric facility. I don't think that someone like Derek can be helped, but what do you think?"

"I think that someone who causes as much harm as Derek Stokes has is one who is beyond help and emotionally incapable of being brought back to reality through psychiatric counseling," Grissom replied calmly. "When did Nick do research on him?"

Greg sighed, "On Christmas, I think," he replied in an anxious voice. "Nick hasn't been the same since he was tortured."

"Is anyone ever the same after their own flesh and blood harms them?" Grissom mused thoughtfully.

* * *

 ** _Please read and review!_**


	10. Marks of Bravery and Pain

_**Two Days Later**_

 _ **Austin, Texas**_

The air was warm and the station was quiet as Jenny Wolfe silently stepped into the station pulling the rolling suitcase that Nick had lent her along behind her. She had talked with the Stokes's and Nick had agreed with Greg's suggestion and lent Jenny a suitcase that would be easy for her to use. He hadn't commented on Derek's actions, but Jenny knew that Nick was hurting over it and hadn't pressed it.

Sighing softly, Jenny took a seat on a bench and grabbed a bottle of juice from one of the suitcase's side pockets. The Las Vegas PD had offered her a police escort from Vegas to Austin, but she had refused and had quietly arranged to go first class on a train so she had time to think about all that had gone on.

Since the station was quiet, Jenny didn't expect that anyone from the Stokes family would come and get her from the train because she knew how the family felt about Derek and his behavior. The dinner they had all shared in Vegas at Christmas had been quiet and Jenny had retreated from the Stokes's company as soon as she felt it polite, as she feared that they judged her and her family for how they were.

After arranging to take a holiday from Vegas, Jenny had quietly called her parents and explained the situation. They had been supportive and had promised to keep in touch with her about her uncle's health and when her grandmother's funeral would be. Greg had also promised to keep in touch with her while she was gone, but Nick had remained distant and had left Greg to take her to the station alone.

"I just need a minute and then I have to figure out where the ranch is," Jenny said softly to herself even though she was very tired from travelling and also hungry and knew she would need more time.

As Jenny sat there, however, she got the distinct impression that someone was watching her and it made her feel nervous enough to reach into her borrowed suitcase and extract a special can of mace that Grissom had secretly given her for safety. She slowly stood up and turned with a finger near the trigger with the can raised, frowning when she saw a familiar face standing near a side entrance.

"Nick?" Jenny asked in a confused voice, not lowering the can. "I thought you had work?"

Nick frowned at the mace can, "Where did you get that?" he asked worriedly. "It's police issue."

"Doctor Grissom gave it to me," Jenny replied softly. "Because I was going to be travelling alone."

Nick nodded and Jenny lowered the can, "I'm still not back to full duty yet and with Sofia there, I was given some time off and a special assignment," he replied calmly. "I flew down here yesterday."

Jenny nodded, "My parents asked me to bring you out to the ranch," Nick explained gently. "They get the feeling that you're afraid of them. They don't blame you or the baby for what Derek is."

"Does Greg miss me?" Jenny asked softly, not wanting to talk about her fear of Derek.

Nick sighed, "He's glued himself to the lab til you come back," he replied quietly.

"I know he has feelings for me and I really want to have feelings for him, but I want to explore them _after_ the baby's born," Jenny explained softly, taking her suitcase. "I hope he understands that."

Nick nodded and took the suitcase handle, "You're not supposed to lift heavy stuff," he replied.

Sighing, Jenny silently followed Nick out of the station and hoped that things would turn out okay.

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"I drove you to and from the center," Warrick wheezed softly as he opened his eyes and saw Derek back at his worktable assembling more weapons. "You said you would show me where Lindsey is…"

Derek scoffed, not looking up from his work, "You actually think I know where she is?" he hissed. "I tricked you so you would break the law to help me. You know that center had a gate camera, right?"

Warrick frowned and made to get up, only to find that his hands were above his head and cuffed to another metal pipe, "What, did you think I was just gonna let you go?" Derek spoke in a dark voice. "I killed and hurt a lot of people at that freaky mental hospital, but I'm not finished with my work."

"What more could you possibly want to do?" Warrick asked coldly. "You've done enough harm."

Derek let out a manic laugh and slammed his hands on the table as he looked up at Warrick, "Why, I've got to still go thank my baby brother for stealing my woman and my baby from me," he replied in a mock amused voice, his eyes cold. "I've also gotta go see if I can get my other kid from Emily Yokas."

Warrick coughed and gagged just as footsteps filled the air, "Stokes, there's a problem," a voice said.

Derek frowned, glaring at Warrick as he got up and moved out of view, "I don't know what went down, but there was a police raid on Ivan's pad and some stuff was seized," a voice said. "Guys were arrested."

Swearing filled the room, "My best tools were at Ivan's!" Derek snapped. "I stole them from Vegas!"

Warrick suddenly coughed anxiously as he felt pain course throughout his body, "I'm sure that you can get more eventually, but Ivan wants us to move to this property he has in the Glades," the voice said.

"The Glades is riddled with bacteria!" Warrick heard Derek growl. "Worse than Bed-Stuy New York!"

Determined to get loose, Warrick tugged against the pipes and the handcuffs quickly broke off of them, allowing him to get free and to his feet. The pipe he was cuffed was on the floor and so he picked it up and silently made his way across the dilapidated structure towards the voices that were now arguing.

Derek swore as Warrick suddenly came into view, "How did you get out?!" he snapped. "Diego!"

"The cuffs are old and the pipes are older," Warrick said in a heavy voice, holding up the pipe he had.

Diego, who was a tall, skinny guy with dark skin wearing jeans, boots, and a golf shirt, looked amused, "Dude, this Vegas guy is good," he mused in an amused voice. "Those cuffs were crap…"

"Derek Stokes, you're under arrest," Warrick breathed anxiously. "It'll be easier if you come quietly."

Derek looked amused, reached into his pocket, and extracted a lethal looking knife that he had stolen from the Vegas Crime Lab that was covered in a case that had _Greg Sanders_ embroidered on it, "I found this in your pocket after my guys and I robbed you that day," he hissed coldly. "It looks expensive."

"That belongs to a guy who suffered permanent hearing loss when you and your buddies shot up our lab," Warrick spat, glaring daggers at Derek. "I borrowed it when I decided to come look for you."

Derek and Diego exchanged a look, "I doubt he knows you borrowed it," Derek hissed as he walked over to Warrick and extracted the knife from its case. "So, you're a thief and an accomplice to my crime."

"Derek, we gotta get going," Diego hissed anxiously as he reached into his jeans and pulled out a gun, smirking as he pointed it at Warrick. "You wanna come the easy way or you wanna come the hard way?"

Warrick spat at Diego and Diego responded by firing the gun at Warrick's abdomen, hitting him directly in the ribs, "I guess we'll have to do the hard way," Diego spat, glaring at Warrick as he fell to the floor.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab_**

Irritation filled Sully as he stepped off the elevator on to the Crime Lab floor after getting crappy directions to the police properties from the airport. His rental car was a decent one, thankfully.

A receptionist sat at a desk in the front and loud, angry voices were filtering down the hallway, "…Speedle should have called in if he wanted to take the day off," a woman snapped angrily.

"Well, we're shorthanded because Bobby and Natalia called in," a male voice said. "Call a temp…"

There was a sigh, "I'm not sure how they're getting away with even having a relationship when they work alternating days on the same shift!" the woman snapped. "We weren't allowed to do that!"

Sully froze as Eric and Calleigh came into view, "Are you the temp Horatio called?" Calleigh asked.

"I'm actually looking for Ryan Wolfe," Sully replied in a calm voice. "I know he works here."

Calleigh and Eric exchanged a look, "Are you a bookie?" Eric asked coldly. "I know Wolfe gambles."

"Ryan Wolfe no longer works on our shift because he chose to switch to nights rather than get a psych evaluation that would let him go back to his shift," Calleigh explained coldly. "He's not our problem…"

Sully frowned, but didn't say anything, "We're a bit shorthanded today because three of our CSI's called in for days off and got them," Calleigh said in a cold voice. "If you're not a temp, you need to leave."

"I'm not leaving til I know where I can find Ryan," Sully replied coldly as Horatio came down the hall to see where his other staff had gotten to after three of them had called in to request the day off.

Horatio frowned, "John Sullivan?" he asked quietly, recognizing Sully. "Ryan's not here, I'm afraid."

"Rick Stetler called me about the explosion," Sully explained. "I'm trying to find the hospital Ryan's at."

Horatio nodded, "He's at Miami-Dade Memorial," he replied calmly. "Calleigh, Eric, get back to work."

"What are you going to do about the sickout?" Calleigh asked coldly. "We don't have enough staff."

Horatio sighed and Calleigh walked off, "Nice to meet you, sir," Eric said quietly before leaving.

"I met Eric Delko back when John was kidnapped," Sully said, frowning at Horatio. "He doesn't…"

Horatio nodded, "Since the last time you saw Eric, he was shot in the head and there's a piece of bullet lodged in his brain permanently," he replied patiently. "It affects his memory sometimes."

"How badly off is Ryan?" Sully asked quietly. "Stetler told me his mother was killed."

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade University Hospital**_

Within half an hour, Horatio had led Sully to the hospital in their cars and they quietly went up to Ryan's hospital room. Ryan was lying asleep in bed with a blanket and lumpy hospital gown covering his body while IV's and bandages littered his arms and hands, pillows sat underneath his back, and a bandage was around his messy hair. Machines, tubes, and electrodes were also scattered around the injured man.

Tommy was seated on a couch near the window wearing blue jeans, a sweat shirt, and sneakers and reading a book that rested on his lap, "Lieutenant Caine, hello," he said calmly before eyeing Sully with a confused expression on his face. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm really not comfortable letting strangers in here."

"I'm not a stranger to Ryan," Sully replied patiently. "I helped him out of a bad family situation…"

Tommy frowned and his eyes widened, "Officer Sullivan?" he asked in a confused, scared voice.

Horatio looked confused as Sully studied Tommy, "Yeah, but who are you?" Sully asked softly.

"Mister Sullivan, this is Tommy Wolfe," Horatio explained. "Tommy is Ryan's older brother."

Sully's eyes widened in surprise, "I haven't seen you since you were a teenager," he replied softly.

"That…that was a very long time ago and I'd rather not discuss it, Officer Sullivan," Tommy replied in an uneasy voice, his expression neutral as he sat up. "My mother was killed two days ago and Ryan…"

Sully nodded and Horatio sighed as Ryan twitched and whimpered in his sleep, obviously reacting to the differing levels of noise, "What's…what's going on?" Ryan mumbled groggily, not opening his eyes.

"Officer Sullivan's here to visit you," Horatio spoke quietly. "He came all the way from New York."

Ryan's eyelids fluttered and opened, but closed quickly after he peered at Sully briefly, "It's good of you to come," he said in a groggy, weak voice. "H…did…did they find out how many didn't make it yet?"

"It was between shifts, so there wasn't a lot of staff on site," Horatio replied quietly. "Even so, the death toll is between 50 and 70 individuals. A lot of people died in the explosion and some died after…"

Tears filled Ryan's eyes and he sniffled weakly, but didn't say anything, "Hey, hey, Ryan, why don't I go to the cafeteria and get you something to eat?" Tommy spoke as he stood up. "A milkshake?"

Ryan mumbled a weak reply and drifted off again, "I'm sorry, he only got released from the SICU yesterday and Emily and I have taken turns being here," Tommy spoke quietly. "Tim's spending time with the kids and I know he's been calling in sick simply because he doesn't want to share the…"

Horatio looked thoughtful, "Speed's been spending his days off babysitting?" he asked quietly.

"Tim's father and brother are focusing on getting the new family center ready for opening and so they've been asking Tim to help with the kids because Emily owns the center," Tommy explained in a quiet voice. "Detective Caine and his fiancée have also been taking time with the kids."

Horatio nodded, as Robert had confided in him that there were days that BJ and Adam needed their father and soon-to-be stepmother with them to get through the day. Chief Burton wasn't overly happy with Robert's tardiness, but hadn't said anything because the explosion had happened and that had put everyone's priorities into perspective; it made people be grateful for who and what they had.

"Um, anyway, I'm going to get Ryan something to eat," Tommy spoke quietly. "He might eat it later."

Horatio silently watched as Tommy left, "If you need to get back to work, I can stay," Sully said softly.

"I'm curious as to why Yelina didn't come with you?" Horatio asked quietly. "She has family here."

Sully sighed as he got his phone out and opened his photo album to show a photo of himself, Yelina, and Nicolas, "We had a baby on Christmas Day," he explained in a happy voice. "We named him Nicolas."

Horatio's eyes widened and Ryan stirred enough that Sully and Horatio stepped into the hallway, "I was actually hoping to ask you about Ray Junior while I was here," Sully spoke softly. "I know that Ryan got badly tortured trying to find him and I'm very sorry about that, but Yelina would be happy if Ray was…"

"I'm afraid I don't have any information," Horatio replied quietly. "I…I should be getting back to work."

Even though he felt Horatio was hiding something, Sully nodded and silently returned to Ryan's room while Horatio turned and left as fast as he could, burdened with the truths that he couldn't share.

* * *

 ** _Coconut Grove_**

"Daddy, how many more pages of school do I have to do?" BJ asked quietly as he looked up from the table where he and Adam were working on homeschool workbooks. "I wanna practice soccer."

Robert sighed, glancing at the microwave clock as he sat at the kitchen counter with a cup of hot chocolate, "Another half an hour until you can be done school for the day, BJ," he replied calmly.

"Daddy, I'm tired," Adam spoke quietly, his expression unhappy. "My tummy hurts too."

Frowning, Robert set his cup down and got up, "Adam threw up in bed last night and I went ahead and let him get in bed with me, Dad," BJ said in a quiet voice. "I got up early and did Adam's sheets."

"When you or your brother get sick, you need to tell me," Robert said softly. "So I can help you."

Adam sighed, "Daddy, when is Natalia coming over?" he asked sadly, holding his tummy.

"Come here," Robert said gently as he walked over to the table. "Why does your tummy hurt?"

BJ suddenly looked guilty, "We were reading the paper yesterday and we saw this really big article about a hospital blowing up," he spoke up apologetically. "There was a picture of the man who hurt Adam…"

Sighing softly, Robert sat at the kitchen table, "Yes, the bad man who hurt Adam at his school is the same person who blew a hospital up and hurt a lot of people," he spoke sadly. "I'm so sorry."

Adam crawled into his father's lap just as the front door opened, "Hello?" Natalia called out.

"Talia, we're in the kitchen," Robert called out calmly. "Adam's not feeling good right now…"

Natalia frowned as she walked into the kitchen, "I just got a call from Callieigh," she replied softly. "Their temp never showed and they need me to go in to help process evidence from a raid that happened."

Robert sighed, clearly unhappy with the turn of events, "Ever since Ryan switched to nights, Eric and Calleigh have been walking around like they owned the lab," he replied softly. "It's not very nice."

"Daddy, my tummy really hurts," Adam said quietly. "Do you have to go to work too?"

Natalia sighed softly, "Okay, I think I'd better run you over to the emergency room," Robert replied softly, giving Natalia a sympathetic look. "I'm thinking of either taking a leave of absence or transferring out of the lab because it's turned into a very nasty work environment since Ryan was tortured."

"You know what?" Natalia said, concerned for Adam. "I think Calleigh and Eric can wait. I'm coming."

BJ gathered his workbooks, "Can you and BJ just hang out here, actually, until I know for sure if it's serious?" Robert asked as he stood and held Adam. "BJ has more schoolwork to do today."

Natalia nodded, "Thank you," Robert spoke softly. "Come on, buddy, we're gonna go."

BJ and Natalia watched as Robert grabbed his keys, wallet, and phone before leaving the house with Adam in his arms, "Natalia, when are you and my daddy gonna get married?" BJ asked quietly.

"The hours of our jobs keep us really busy and people at our work don't like us doing the same things at work, so we haven't had time to talk about it," Natalia replied softly, slightly annoyed that Calleigh had taken it upon herself to ensure that Natalia and Robert saw and interacted as little as possible at work.

BJ nodded, "Your dad said you still have schoolwork to do," Natalia stated. "Do you need help?"

"Mrs. Speedle says I'm doing really well in my work and I should go to a school for gifted kids, but I don't wanna leave my brother," BJ replied quietly. "And I don't wanna go back to a school with other kids like I was before because of what happened during basketball. Mister Speedle's teaching me soccer."

Natalia smiled, "How about you get that work done and I'll make you a snack?" she suggested gently.

As BJ got back to work and Natalia looked for snack food, Natalia's cell phone began to buzz repeatedly.

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho**_

Horatio sighed as he parked his Hummer in front of Speedle's parents house and got out. As he walked up to the front door, he wondered why Speed would call in sick when he never used to do that before.

As Horatio knocked on the door, he heard quiet giggling coming from inside and a gentle sigh, "Sit here and work on your books," he heard Tim say in a quiet voice. "Daddy just has to get the door."

There was a silence and Tim frowned as he opened the door and saw Horatio, "Speed, I was under the impression that you called in sick this morning?" Horatio asked quietly. "Is everything all right?"

"I did call in sick, but I'm fine physically," Tim replied quietly. "I've just had trouble coping and sleeping properly since the explosion. It brings back memories of when I was shot and it's not comfortable…"

Horatio nodded, "Eric and Calleigh think I've been slacking, but they don't seem to get that there are things that still trigger my memories of the shooting," Tim explained. "Do you want to come in?"

Before Horatio could reply, Tim stepped inside and let him come in. James and Julliet were sitting at a plastic table near a bookshelf working on schoolbooks and there were toys all over the place.

"My family is at the community center getting it ready for opening and Emily's having a nap before she goes over there to check on things," Tim explained calmly. "The pregnancy and what happened…"

Horatio nodded, "I'm sorry I lied about being sick, but there are things that are more important than work," Tim spoke quietly, his expression serious. "I know Eric and Calleigh aren't too happy with me."

"I'm on call and Jesse Cardoza is at the lab if they need help," Horatio spoke calmly, concerned for his friend's well-being. "Have you talked with your wife or parents about the issues you're having?"

Tim nodded and sighed, "Being around my family helps, but Eric and Callieigh think I'm just being lazy and careless again like when I was shot," he explained quietly. "Neither of them want to work with me, so I usually get assigned to work with Jesse, Natalia, or your nephew. It's becoming very frustrating."

Horatio nodded and watched as James got up and toddled over to Tim, "Daddy," James said softly.

Tim looked down at James questioningly, "Can we be done?" James asked quietly. "Really tired."

"Yeah, James, you and Julliet can be done," Tim replied softly. "Do you wanna watch a movie?"

Julliet got up from the table and went over to a shelf that had endless movies on it just as Emily came out into the living room wearing dress pants and a loose shirt with her hair in a bun, "You look good in my shirt," Tim commented, recognizing the shirt from his side of the closet. "Feeling better?"

"As well as I'm going to get," Emily replied softly, smiling at Horatio. "Hi there, Horatio."

Horatio's phone suddenly buzzed and he quietly answered it, "The kids have done a lot of schoolwork today and I'm letting them watch a movie," Tim spoke softly, looking at Emily. "Are you going?"

"I might just stay home today," Emily replied softly. "I don't need to be out and about every day."

Tim nodded, "I'd rather stick close to home as long as Derek Stokes is in Miami, to be honest," Emily spoke softly as she went over to the couch and sat. "James, Julliet, Mommy's gonna join you."

Horatio hung up the phone with a distressed expression on his face, "I…I have to go," he said quietly.

Tim frowned, but Horatio left in silence, "What are we watching?" Tim finally asked, gazing at his kids.

* * *

 ** _Blue River Estates – Everglades, Florida_**

"Zees eez my humble abode zat ze police do not even know about," Ivan said in a pleased voice as Derek, Clavo, Diego, and several other members of Ivan's gang gathered in a conference room that was decorated with elaborate furniture that Ivan had stolen from everywhere. "Vere iz ze preesoner?"

Clavo scoffed, "Puking in the back of my very expensive van," he scoffed. "Someone's out there."

Ivan looked amused, "Diego shot him in the ribs," Derek spoke in a dark voice. "Stupid fool."

"Derek, I agree that Diego was very stupid," Ivan replied calmly. "Did the bullet go through?"

Derek nodded and wandered over to the books that were on the mantle above a very expensive looking fireplace, "Can I read these?" he asked in an intrigued voice. "Jenny ran away with my child and I'm pretty mad about it because my goody-two-shoes baby brother helped her escape to somewhere."

"I thought you knocked up a girl in New York?" Diego asked hurriedly. "Sackheim's hiding up there."

Ivan swore, "Diego, go get ze preesoner," he barked, his eyes filled with fury. "Now!"

Diego fled the room with two others at his heels, "I gotta send some of the crew up to New York to visit Pavel and also check on zat loser, Sackheim," Ivan said coldly. "Derek Stokes, vy do you not go veeth zem and veeset ze girl you knocked up? You will steel get ze chance to be a fazzer to your kids."

"How do you even know Sackheim's still in New York?" Derek asked. "He could have taken off."

Ivan looked amused and silently strode over to his desk, stroking a phone that sat atop of it, "Zees eez a private line," he explained in an amused voice. "Eeet eez my way of keeping my eye on zat moron."

Derek nodded and went back to examining the books while Ivan dialled a number on the phone, "Dennis Sackheim," Ivan said in a cold voice as he held the receiver against his ear. "It has been a while, yes?"

There was silence, " _Who is this_?" a confused voice spoke. " _You sound Russian, but I don't know…_ "

"Who eez zees?" Ivan asked, not recognizing the woman's voice. "I am looking for Sackheim."

Quiet talking filled the other end of the line, " _This is Dennis Sackheim_ ," a voice said.

"Sackheim," Ivan spoke coldly. "What are you doing up zere? Derek wants hees Emily Yokas."

Dennis scoffed, " _I don't know where she is and I don't care_ ," he replied in an irritated voice.

"Oh, you had better care, Sackheim," Ivan replied coldly. "I am breenging some guys up in ze next couple of veeks and ve vill find Emily Yokas for our dear Derek Stokes. I vill zen be so happy to keel you."

There was a gasp, " _Kill me for what_?!" Dennis replied in a shocked voice. " _I've done all that you_ …!"

"You let Wolfe rescue Lindsey, you freak!" Ivan snapped angrily. "See you in a couple of veeks!"

As Ivan slammed the phone down, Diego and the two guys dragged Warrick, who was sporting a battered face and a bloody t-shirt, into the room and dumped him on the floor, "This Las Vegas CSI gave us trouble, boss, so we had to teach him a lesson," Diego spoke coldly. "He still hasn't gotten it."

* * *

 _ **Mercy Hospital – Coconut Grove**_

"Well, look who we have here," Alexx said as she came into the hospital room carrying a folder and a chart and saw Robert sitting beside the bed where Adam lay in a hospital gown. "Detective Caine."

Robert smiled, "Doctor Woods, I didn't know you worked here?" he asked softly. "How are you?"

"I work here sometimes when I need a break from the morgue," Alexx replied as she came over to the bed and sat down. "I heard that you were here, so I said I'd take care of your son cause you trust me."

Robert nodded, "My tummy hurts," Adam spoke softly. "I threw up all over my bed last night."

"Well, I can tell you why your tummy hurts," Alexx spoke softly. "You have appendicitis and you'll need an operation right away to have your appendix out, but you'll be sound asleep during the operation."

Robert sighed softly, but Adam nodded, "I got special permission to do the operation," Alexx spoke softly, smiling at Adam warmly. "I don't normally operate on people, but I asked for permission."

Just then, Robert's phone buzzed and he fished it out of his pocket, "Yes?" he said into the phone.

" _Detective Caine, we need you to come in_ ," Calleigh's voice said. " _Natalia's not answering her_ …"

Robert growled and let out an irritated sigh, "I'm not able to come in because being a father is more important than being a CSI right now," he replied coldly. "Keep calling and I might not come in again."

" _I'm going to write you up to IAB and Lieutenant Caine_!" Calleigh replied in a loud warning voice.

Robert scoffed, "Go ahead," he replied before hanging up and putting the phone back in his pocket.

Adam looked worried, but Robert promptly gave him a hug and a kiss, "I phoned Natalia and BJ while we were waiting for Adam's tests and they should be here soon with some clothes and things," Robert said in a quiet voice. "I also phoned my uncle and told him what was going on, but he has to work."

Alexx nodded, "I'll come back very shortly to get Adam upstairs," she spoke gently. "All right?"

Once Alexx was gone, Adam curled himself into a ball, "Daddy, why was that lady on the phone yelling at you?" he asked quietly as footsteps approached the room. "She didn't sound like she likes you."

Robert sighed, but was prevented from speaking by the arrival of Natalia and BJ, both of whom were carrying Adam's things, "Hi," Adam spoke quietly, looking up at them. "I gotta have an operation."

"Adam has appendicitis," Robert spoke softly. "Doctor Woods will be performing the surgery."

BJ sighed and crawled on the bed next to his brother, "It's not gonna hurt," he whispered softly.

"Calleigh phoned me and I'm getting written up," Robert spoke quietly, gazing at Natalia.

Natalia's eyes widened just as a Alexx returned with a nurse, "They're gonna take you upstairs now, buddy, and I can't go with you," Robert said softly. "However, I'll be in your room after it's done."

Adam nodded and smiled when Robert and Natalia both kissed him, "Be brave," BJ said as he got up.

Robert hugged BJ and Natalia while Alexx and the nurse rolled Adam away, "Dad, can I go to the gift shop and get Adam something?" BJ asked softly. "I can use the money you gave me from chores."

"We'll all go and Natalia and I can wait outside for you," Robert replied. "All right?"

BJ nodded and smiled as the three went to the gift shop and he went in to pick something for his brother, "A write-up could result in a suspension," Natalia spoke softly. "Aren't you worried?"

"No," Robert replied quietly. "I only signed a contract with the Crime Lab until April and once Ryan is well enough to return to the team, I'm going to encourage it. I feel like my presence is hindering the team's chemistry and the team doesn't trust me fully because my uncle is in charge of CSI."

Natalia frowned, "Do they think you're going to tell on them to your uncle?" she asked softly.

"Maybe they don't trust the fact that my father was part of the Russian mafia like Warrick Brown?" Robert replied softly. "When I was in the hospital in Vegas, Warrick came by my room and asked me questions about what I knew about the Russian mafia and if there was any reason to be worried…"

Natalia's eyes widened, "Who knows if the CSI's here think the same thing," Robert mused softly.

"Whatever they think, I still love you," Natalia spoke softly, hugging him. "Remember that."

Robert nodded and gently held Natalia, sighing as both of them watched BJ in the gift shop.

* * *

 _ **Stokes Family Ranch - Austin, Texas**_

The grounds were quiet and Jenny found herself grateful for it as it meant she could go to a private area and use her phone to call her parents, "…How are you all doing, Mom?" she asked softly as she sat on a haybale in the horse stalls where several horses lingered in stalls. "I…I got to Austin safely."

" _That's good, Jenny_ ," Diana spoke quietly. " _I hope Bill and Jillian are making you feel welcome there_."

Jenny sighed, "Nick somehow got time off and he showed up at the station, but he's not happy being here because looking at me makes him sad over his brother," she replied anxiously. "I don't like making people upset over this, Mom. Derek's the oldest kid in the Stokes family and everyone…"

" _Honey, I thought it was made clear at Christmas that Bill and Jillian haven't heard from Derek in a very long time and disowned him long ago for his behavior_ ," Diana spoke softly. " _Derek raped you and the Stokes family understands that; they're not going to punish you or an innocent baby over it_."

Jenny bit her lip, "Do you know when Grandma's funeral will be yet?" she asked. "I want to come."

" _We're thinking of postponing it until spring or even until Derek is caught so nothing will happen to anyone else in the family because of him_ ," Diana replied quietly. " _Your Uncle Ryan's in a regular hospital room now, but he'll be in the hospital for at least a week and your father's sitting with him quite a bit_."

Jenny nodded even though nobody was around, " _Do you know how far along you are_?" Diana asked.

"At least five months, but I'm not sure," Jenny replied quietly. "They really weren't able to tell."

Diana sighed, " _Stay in Austin only as long as you feel comfortable being there, okay_?" she replied in a concerned voice. " _When you get tired of it, you can go back to Vegas, but it's not safe for you here_."

"I know, but I worry about you all," Jenny spoke quietly. "I don't even know what the baby is…"

Diana chuckled, " _Sweetheart, we will love your baby no matter what it is_ ," she replied in a kind voice. " _I know I can't be there to help you, but you can ask Jillian Stokes for help since she did have seven kids_."

"I'm just nervous to ask for help cause what if she thinks I can't raise my kid?" Jenny asked quietly.

Diana sighed softly, " _Mommy_?" Emilio's voice filled the phone. " _Can I say hi to Jenny_?"

"Hi Emilio," Jenny said warmly. "How are you doing? Are you listening to Mom, Dad, and Jason?"

Emilio sighed, " _I miss you, Jen-Jen_ ," he said quietly. " _Mom and Dad said you're gonna have a baby_."

"Yeah, I am, so you're gonna be an uncle," Jenny replied gently, suddenly feeling tired. "Hey, Emilio, I'm starting to feel tired, so I'm gonna go for now. I'll call again after a while, okay? Love you guys."

After hearing her mother and little brother send their love, Jenny put the phone away and left the horse stalls. The walk back to the house was quiet and upon going inside, she found that the house was quiet.

Sighing softly, Jenny went into the family room and lay down on the couch, figuring that nobody would mind if she had a little nap. As she closed her eyes, her mind suddenly flashed back to months earlier.

One night several months ago, shortly after she and Derek had gotten together, Jenny had been resting in the room that Ivan had given her for as long as she needed. She had taken the room simply because she was on the run for assaulting Tony and she thought her parents would turn her in if she went home.

However, as Jenny had slept that night, a drunk and high Derek had burst into her room and had invited himself into her bed. At first, Jenny had asked him to stop, but Derek had ignored it and it had been a horrible enough experience that she had passed out by the end of it.

When Derek had found out she was pregnant with his child, he had gone on a celebration all over the underworld of Miami that included blowing up Anthony Speedle's restaurant with the intention of robbing it and robbing Lieutenant Caine and nearly killing him in the process. He had bragged that they would get married and live in luxury, but Jenny had fled after learning how he had gotten his wealth.

Even though the hospital in Vegas had helped her get physically healthy, Jenny knew that she was not okay emotionally and still had bad dreams about what happened. The couch was comfortable, but the memories stopped her from getting a proper nap because it was sleeping deeply that made her remember and feel like Derek was on top of her again. The thought of Derek made her heart hurt.

Jenny felt tears on her cheeks, but she couldn't stop them because it had been a really long time since she had had a good cry. She had been careful to hide her emotions at work and at her temporary home, but she knew it wasn't healthy to do that. At the moment, it felt safe enough to cry in her sleep.

The front door opened just then and Jillian and Nick came in hauling bags of groceries and things that Jillian had bought from a maternity store for Jenny since she knew the girl had very little with her and couldn't go home to Florida to get more. Nick had joked with his mom about her buying out the store and Jillian had let him do it, as she hadn't heard Nick joke in a long time and it showed he was healing.

"Will you help me with dinner, Nicky?" Jillian asked kindly. "All of your sisters are coming over tonight."

Nick nodded, "Before you do that, would you figure out where Jenny got to so I can show her these clothes?" Jillian asked softly. "I promised her mother that she'd be well taken care of out here."

Out of the corner of his eye, Nick could see a moving pile on the family room sofa and he figured that Jenny was taking a nap. He silently went into the family room and frowned when he saw that Jenny was shuddering and crying in her sleep, "S-stop," Jenny whispered in a faint voice. "Get…get off me."

"Jenny?" Nick asked, disturbed that Jenny was having a nightmare about Derek. "You all right?"

There was a faint gasp and Jenny woke, "Oh, I'm sorry," she spoke shakily, quickly sitting upright.

"You all right?" Nick asked quietly even though he knew she wasn't. "How was your walk?"

Jenny shrugged, but didn't say anything because she was feeling tired and slightly nauseous from the nightmare, "Um, my mom bought you a bunch of maternity stuff and she bought groceries to make a nice supper tonight since all my sisters are coming," Nick spoke quietly. "They wanna meet you."

"I'm actually not feeling that great, so do I have to?" Jenny spoke softly. "I'd rather not be paraded around in front of your sisters when I'm not feeling well. I keep having bad dreams about Derek."

Nick frowned and sat in a chair, "You really don't look good," he spoke softly. "How long has this…?"

"What, you think Greg and I have sex when I talk with him in the middle of the night?" Jenny asked in an unusually shaky voice. "I have small anxiety attacks sometimes and he talks me through them."

Nick looked concerned, "I'm not going to blame the baby for what happened, so I have to blame myself for not being strong enough and for not dealing with what I did," Jenny explained in a trembling voice. "The Speedles didn't press charges, but I ran away. I have to take responsibility for this baby alone."

"What, you think it's your fault that Derek raped you?" Nick asked quietly. "It's not."

Jenny scoffed and started crying, her body trembling as she did so, "Take some deep breaths," Nick spoke quietly, concerned for Jenny's health. "It's not good for the baby for you to be panicking."

"I don't know what to do about it," Jenny spoke quietly. "I'm scared because he killed my grandmother and hurt my uncle pretty badly. He's still in Miami and I really don't know if we'll ever be safe."

Nick sighed softly, "That's why Greg suggested you come here," he replied. "So you would be. There's excellent security here and the ranch is also equipped with a gate and very high-tech alarms."

Jenny nodded just as Jillian came into the family room with the shopping bags, "There you are, dear girl," Jillian said warmly as she sat on the couch next to her. "You look a bit shaky. Are you all right?"

"Just a bit tired," Jenny lied, not wanting to worry Nick's mother. "The air's different here."

Nick raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, "I promised your mother that I'd look after you during your visit," Jillian spoke in a kind voice. "She mentioned that you didn't have a lot, so I went shopping."

As Jillian began showing the maternity clothes to Jenny, Nick silently watched and grieved over the situation because he knew his brother was truly gone and was obviously not done destroying lives.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab – Miami, Florida_**

"…That sounds fine, Catherine," Rick said, slouching in his chair as he sat behind the desk in his IAB office, doing paperwork while enjoying a brief call with his wife. "We can go out for dinner tonight and that will be better anyway, as Bobby's up at the hospital because Adam's got appendicitis. He called me while he and Boa Vista were watching BJ get something from the gift shop. It's a terrible thing…"

Catherine offered a reply that prompted Rick to smile, "I know," he replied in an amused voice, sighing as she gently reminded him to look into the ongoing investigation on Lindsey. "I'll take care of it…"

Suddenly spotting Calleigh in the hallway, Rick murmured a sweet goodbye and hung up, "Duquesne, you're a bit early for your scheduled appointment, but come in," he said formally. "What's the issue?"

"I want to write Detective Caine up for insubordination," Calleigh explained in a firm voice.

Rick raised an eyebrow, "What exactly has Detective Caine done to earn a write-up so early in his career at the Lab?" he asked in a confused voice. "I've gotten nothing but positive comments about him."

"The lab is shorthanded because Speedle, Boa Vista, and Detective Caine all called in sick today and we haven't gotten any relief," Calleigh replied coldly. "I phoned Boa Vista to come in, but she hasn't shown up and when I phoned Detective Caine, he ordered me not to call him again or he'd basically quit."

Rick's eyes widened, not surprised that Bobby had lost his cool over the fact that CSI was trying to drag him away from his family during Adam's illness, "I'm thinking being in charge during Lieutenant Caine's medical leave got the best of you," he said in a firm voice. "Ever since the mess with Detective Hagen…"

"My request has nothing to do with that," Calleigh replied in a shocked voice. "It's insubordination."

Rick sighed patiently, "And your complaints against Speedle, Cardoza, Boa Vista, and Wolfe really don't have any merit with me either, but I told Wolfe to switch to the nightshift so he could get away from the crap that you and Delko were giving him," he replied firmly. "Wolfe, however, was involved in that very serious explosion caused by Derek Stokes and the lack of cohesion on the team is very concerning to not only me, but also to Lieutenant Caine. I also notice that you're not visiting the department counselor."

Calleigh shrugged, "I know you can't have kids after all the abuse Hagen put you through, but it's inappropriate to hate the department counselor just because she is pregnant," Rick said softly. "I think your anger and poor attitude has less to do with your dislike of people and more to do with the post-traumatic stress disorder from what happened with Detective Hagen. I'm concerned, Duquesne."

"You were the responding officer to that call," Calleigh spoke quietly. "You could have…"

Rick scoffed, "I don't force abuse survivors to counseling," he replied in a firm voice. "I do think, however, that I have to give you an ultimatum; either get counseling or I will suspend you."

"You didn't suspend Ryan for not getting counseling," Calleigh replied. "Why single me out?"

Rick sighed, "Wolfe is still recovering from injuries he received in the explosion, but he'll be ordered to counseling before he's cleared to return to work in the field or even in the lab," he explained. "I do not want to be the bad guy, Duquesne. You have a week to arrange for counseling. You're dismissed."

Stunned speechless, Calleigh silently rose from the chair and silently left the quiet IAB office.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade University Hospital**_

A faint moan prompted Sully to look up from his phone as he waited for a text back from Yelina as to how she, Nicolas, and the rest of the family were doing. Ryan was stirring and crying at the same time.

Concerned that Ryan might hurt himself, Sully got up from the couch, grabbed a chair, and planted himself at Ryan's bedside, "Ryan," Sully spoke softly as he touched Ryan's fingers. "It's okay."

"Sully," Ryan spoke in a weak voice as he opened his eyes. "What…what are you doing in Miami?"

Sully sighed gently, "Rick Stetler called and told me what happened," he replied in a soft voice. "I sent your brother home to get some rest and I said I'd stay for a while. I'm just here for a few days."

"I tried so hard to save her," Ryan spoke in a weak voice. "We fell and it was just so loud…"

Sully nodded and Ryan swallowed hard before sniffling, "It hurts to cry, so I'll stop," Ryan spoke in a weak, groggy voice as he looked at Sully. "I'm so tired and I wish I could have been a better kid…"

"You weren't a bad kid, Ryan," Sully spoke quietly. "You had it very, very hard growing up."

Ryan sighed weakly and coughed, "I feel like crap," he spoke groggily. "Is…is there water?"

Sully hit the nurse's call button, "I know about the group home, but where did you go after that exactly?" he asked even though Rick had told him. "I remember Rick drove you wherever."

"I went to live with my Uncle Ron in Boston," Ryan spoke weakly. "I stayed there a long time and then he moved to Miami and I went with him since there was nothing else. He moved into a condo…"

Sully nodded just as a nurse came in, "Could…could I have water, please?" Ryan asked weakly, wincing as he turned his head to look at the nurse. "I'm just so tired and thirsty and I really feel like crap."

The nurse nodded and quickly got Ryan some water, "The doctor said that once you were more alert, you needed to start eating," she explained as she brought the water to the bed. "I'll help you."

Ryan accepted the water and sighed tiredly, "You'll start to feel better once you get eating and drinking regularly," the nurse spoke gently. "Get some rest and I'll see about getting you something to eat."

Once the nurse was gone, Ryan looked at Sully, "Do you know who did it?" he asked weakly.

Sully sighed and nodded, "Rick said he saw Derek Stokes plant the bomb," he replied quietly.

Ryan remained quiet for a moment and then sighed, "He raped my niece and got her pregnant, but she ran away from him," he spoke in a tired voice. "He's angry and he hurt me and killed my mother…"

Sully nodded and Ryan sighed deeply, "Tommy said they're not having the funeral for a while," Ryan spoke in a faint voice, the effort of drinking water and crying tiring him. "How long are you staying?"

"A few days," Sully replied calmly. "Yelina and I had a baby at Christmas and I miss them a lot."

Ryan's eyes narrowed and Sully got his phone out, smiling as he showed photos of him, Yelina, and Nicolas, "I…I was engaged and going to be a dad a long time ago," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice.

Sully frowned, "What happened?" he asked in a concerned voice, pleased to see Ryan open up.

"Um, my mom murdered my fiancé and the baby she was carrying," Ryan spoke in a faint voice.

Sully's eyes widened, "You should try and get some more rest, okay?" he finally suggested.

"That's a good idea," Ryan spoke groggily as his eyes drooped. "Thanks for being here."

* * *

 _ **Mercy Hospital – Coconut Grove**_

"…Adam did very well and he'll need to be here for about a week before he can go home, but I want him to take it easy for six weeks," Alexx spoke softly as she led Robert, Natalia, and BJ down the hallway to the Pediatric room where Adam had been put after briefly waking in Recovery. "Here's his room."

Robert smiled as he came into the room and saw that Adam was asleep in bed sporting an IV in one arm and a clip on one finger, "He's a little small for his age," Alexx spoke quietly. "It's a little concerning."

"Adam was born premature," Robert explained quietly. "There were times I wasn't sure he would make it, but I'm very glad he was a fighter like his daddy and pulled through. I'm doing my best with him."

Alexx nodded and watched as he silently slid on to the bed beside Adam and gently held him, "Mom didn't care that Adam almost died," BJ commented softly. "She left me and Maggie alone when Dad was at work or at the hospital and went looking for the hookers and drinks. I called Uncle Donnie a lot."

Natalia looked stunned, but Robert said nothing because he knew that he had done his best as a parent despite Amanda and that Flack had saved him from losing his kids to the system, "Hey, Adam, it's Daddy," Robert finally spoke, gently stroking Adam's hair. "I heard you did really, really well."

"…Daddy, I'm sleepy," Adam spoke groggily. "Can you stay with me while I sleep?"

BJ silently moved into the room and settled on the couch, "When are you lovebirds getting married?" Alexx asked quietly as Natalia joined him on the couch. "You seem like a lovely little family."

"I'm not sure if I'm staying in the lab after April and I don't know how fancy of a wedding Natalia wants…" Robert spoke in an uncertain voice, looking at Natalia. "She deserves a fancy one."

Alexx smiled and Natalia looked surprised, "I'm fine with simple," Natalia replied in a kind voice, smiling at him. "Just thank you; thank you for thinking I'm worth a fancy wedding. It means a lot to me."

Robert spoke something in Spanish and Natalia blushed, "I'm fine with a ceremony in the yard or even on the beach behind the house," she said in an amused voice. "With family, friends, and good food."

"That sounds perfect," Robert replied, smiling. "When Adam's better, we can plan something."

Alexx sighed, "Don't be too quick to leave the lab, Bobby," she said. "You still have friends there."

Robert sighed, but didn't say anything, "I'll check back in a little while," Alexx said as she left.

* * *

 ** _Brooklyn, New York_**

"…I'm marked for death by Ivan, Juliana!" Dennis's voice echoed through the air. "Where are you!?"

There was a sigh and Lindsey Stetler inched closer to the closet door to better hear what was being said by her captor, as he was obviously on the phone. She had wandered into New York nearly three months ago after wandering on desolate roads from her captivity in Miami and had been swiftly recaptured by Sackheim, who had recognized her. Ryan Wolfe had helped her escape from Miami, but he had gotten badly beaten for doing so.

Ever since Dennis Sackheim had recaptured her, Lindsey had been forced to sleep on the floor in a very small closet when he was around. When Sackheim had been out, Lindsey had snuck out and had stolen food and the man had simply ignored her, as he figured she was too young and naïve to run away.

The closet door was jerked open and Sackheim glared at Lindsey, "Go eat whatever you want from the fridge, kid," he said in a stern voice. "I gotta go and get some rest for the big show in a few days."

Before Lindsey could reply, Sackheim stalked off to his room and Lindsey slunk out of the closet and saw that Juliana was gone. Snores filled the apartment and Lindsey silently made her way towards the door, knowing that neither adult was smart enough to keep it locked. A bit of money sat out on a table and Lindsey took it, trembling anxiously as she grabbed a coat from the open, very full coat closet.

Lindsey missed her father, her mother, and her twin brother; she hadn't seen them in a few years and didn't know where they were, but she had her ID from her old school and she wanted to find them.

Quickly making sure her little wallet was with her, Lindsey silently opened the door and slipped out.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	11. Gambling With Life - February 14, 2006

_**February 14**_

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

"Thanks for walking me to the Crime Lab, Uncle Carlos," John said in a quiet voice as he and Carlos came up the subway stairs from the station closest to the Crime Lab. "My dad's second round of chemo starts today and my mom took Mikey and Emily to some mommy-baby classes that my grandparents take Nicolas to. I know you homeschool Tommy in the mornings, so this was really nice of you."

Carlos sighed patiently, "Holly's got today off and is homeschooling Tommy and I know your parents wouldn't you walking around alone," he replied calmly. "Besides, this is good rehab for me."

John smiled, but frowned as they passed by an alleyway and saw a huddling mass with stringy hair cuddling against a wall, "Uncle Carlos, is that a child?" he asked softly. "Hey, little one."

Lindsey looked up at John and Carlos warily, "My name's Lindsey," she replied softly. "I'm cold."

Carlos sighed and took his coat off, "My name is Carlos and this is John," he replied, sighing as he handed John his jacket. "John, can you put this around her? It's not exactly springtime out."

John silently covered Lindsey up, "Hey, Lindsey, how about we go somewhere warm?" he suggested.

Lindsey thought for a moment and then got up holding Carlos's coat around her, "I work in a Crime Lab where people can help you," John spoke quietly. "Will you come with us and let them help you?"

Nodding, Lindsey followed John and Carlos down the street and stayed close to them as they went into the building where the lab was and took the elevator upstairs. John could see Mac and Stella talking in Mac's office and motioned for them to come quickly, which they both did out of curiosity.

"This is Lindsey, Detective Taylor and Detective Bonasera," John spoke quietly. "Uncle Carlos was walking me here this morning and we found her in an alley. Uncle Carlos gave her his coat."

Mac and Stella exchanged a look, "Do you have a last name, Lindsey?" Mac asked quietly.

"Lindsey Stetler," Lindsey spoke quietly. "Some guy named Ryan helped me run away, but I was grabbed by the sack guy and his girlfriend and I've been living in a closet for three months. I want my family."

Stella's eyes widened in surprise and Lindsey held out a pink wallet with a butterfly on it, "My mom got me this for the last Christmas I saw them," the young girl explained softly. "I was grabbed…"

"Trainee Boscorelli, I'd like you to process Lindsey, please," Mac said calmly. "I'll supervise."

John nodded, as he knew he was early, "Stella, can you talk to Carlos?" Mac asked kindly.

Stella led Carlos away and Mac smiled at Lindsey, "Would you like some clean clothes, Lindsey?" he asked in a kind voice. "John, here, is going to take your clothes and you can have some clean ones."

Lindsey nodded and stuck close to John as Mac led them to a room that was filled with clean clothing and other things that were donated from staff who didn't need them anymore for people who might come in needing help and also a few brand new things that he had bought to give away.

Swallowing hard, Lindsey took a package of underwear, a clean undershirt, some socks, gray sweats, and a pink t-shirt and pullover, "These are nice," she spoke softly. "Is processing gonna hurt?"

"No, I'll be very gentle," John promised, wondering if this was his proficiency test. "I promise."

Mac smiled and he and John turned their backs while Lindsey changed into the clean clothes and then Mac watched as John carefully bagged everything in plastic bags, "Thank you," John replied softly.

"I want my mommy and daddy," Lindsey spoke quietly. "And I want my twin brother, Lenny."

Mac nodded and Lindsey suddenly started crying, tired, sore, and cold from her ordeal, "Stella!" he called out, prompting Stella to poke her head out of a nearby interview room. "Call an ambulance."

Stella nodded and returned to the interview room while Mac ushered John and Lindsey to a nearby evidence lab, "Get what evidence you can," Mac said calmly. "Consider this your winter proficiency."

Nodding, John silently gloved up and grabbed a kit, smiling at the young girl as he got to work.

* * *

 ** _Angel of Mercy Hospital_**

"This…this is what Lieutenant Caine Fed Exed me," Bosco said in a shaky voice as he sat in an easy chair with an IV in his left arm that was hooked to a chemotherapy machine while a folder sat on his lap. Danielle sat in a chair next to her husband after she had convinced them to let her go with Bosco and they would take Michael, Emily, and Nicolas to a later baby-mommy class together.

Danielle nodded, "May I?" she asked gently, knowing that it had been mailed to her husband alone.

Bosco nodded, too shaken over the folder to speak, "Let's see," Danielle said, taking the folder.

Sighing gently, Danielle opened the folder and saw that there was a picture of the pregnant Dr. Price in her uniform, a doctor's report, some ultrasound photos, and an official looking document stating that a paternity test determined that Maurice was the father of the baby. There was also a handwritten letter and legal documents that stated that Dr. Price would surrender the baby immediately after it was born and that Maurice and his current family had first claim to custody if they, in fact, wanted to take it.

"The baby's due around April or May, it seems," Danielle spoke quietly. "It's up to you, Maurice, since it's your child and I'll support whatever you want to do. I just don't want you to have to face her…"

Bosco sighed tiredly, "The system sucks, but do we really have room for another baby?" he asked softly.

"Ever since we found out about this, my parents have been talking about buying the apartment next door and knocking out the kitchen wall so that we can all be together," Danielle explained gently. "It's something they were thinking about anyway because they'll need the space when Nicolas gets bigger."

Bosco nodded, "I don't want to go to Miami and deal with this because then I'll have to face _her_ again," he replied in a tired voice. "They won't send a baby on the plane unaccompanied, though."

"Since I'm married to you, I also share custody and I can go," Danielle spoke quietly. "I'll go."

Bosco sniffled softly, tears filling his eyes, "Okay," he spoke shakily. "I'm feeling really tired."

"So have a sleep," Danielle spoke gently. "After you're done, we can go by jumbo milkshakes."

Bosco sighed softly, "If John gets his proficiencies done early and calls to tell us about it, wake me," he spoke in a tired voice as his eyelids drooped. "That kid is so smart and I'm so grateful for that."

* * *

In the alley outside of the Crime Lab, Agent Sackheim had disguised himself in a trenchoat, fedora, and sunglasses while Juliana had reluctantly dressed herself in business clothing and had hidden weapons in her handbag. The plan was to go up to the Crime Lab floor through the back fire exit because the front would have security and then take the Crime Lab hostage to get what they wanted and then escape.

As the two lingered in the alley, they watched Carlos and Stella get into an ambulance that was parked at the curb, "We're only going to kidnap Danielle's kid and leave, right?" Juliana asked anxiously. "He hangs out with that Yokas kid and if we have her, Ivan won't come after you and kill you…"

"Yes, as I promised," Agent Sackheim lied, sighing as the ambulance drove off with sirens blaring.

Juliana nodded and followed Agent Sackheim down the alley and kept silent as they went into the building through the fire exit and climbed the many stairs up to the floor of the Crime Lab. Sackheim opened the door and saw that they were in the morgue, which was empty and quiet.

"Okay, we found the Crime Lab," Agent Sackheim said darkly. "Now we just have to find people."

* * *

"…Okay, so Stella said she'd call the Las Vegas PD when she and that Carlos Nieto guy got Lindsey to the hospital," Flack said as he came off the elevator and saw Mac silently watching as Danny worked alongside John, who was processing the evidence. "Is it winter proficiency time already?"

Mac nodded, "I actually supervised John processing Lindsey and Danny's supervising the analysis of the evidence," he replied calmly. "You're a bit early, but are you still good to do John's shooting exam?"

Flack nodded, "I know Boscorelli Senior has round two of chemo starting today, so yeah," he replied calmly, smiling as Lindsay came in and joined them. "You here to check on the lab's little prodigy?"

"Until we get a call out," Lindsay replied, knowing that Hawkes and Adam were also watching nearby.

Silence filled the Crime Lab and as the elevator door opened, Mac heard the click of a gun, "Everybody freeze," he heard as he turned around and saw Agent Sackheim and Juliana armed with serious guns.

Flack quickly went for his gun, but Sackheim shook his head and swiftly fired his gun at an empty room, causing the glass walls to shatter. Danny and John looked up from their work and Mac watched as John turned pale and whispered something to Danny. Danny's eyes widened as both of them watched.

"John Boscorelli knows where Emily Yokas is and she's my bargaining chip with Ivan Sarnoff," Sackheim said in a dark voice, brandishing the gun. "I'm trained as an expert marksman, so get out of the way."

There was a shout as Danny came out of the lab and as he was moving towards Lindsay, Sackheim swiftly shot him in the leg, sending the CSI to the floor, "Danny!" Lindsay and Mac shouted in unison.

"Just shut up, all of you," Juliana hissed, anxious about what had happened. "John Boscorelli!"

John frowned at Sackheim and Juliana and then quickly ducked under the table with his diabetes bag because he could feel his blood sugar starting to drop, "What's in that bag?" Sackheim snapped.

Irritated that it was taking so long to carry out a simple kidnapping, Juliana brandished her gun at everyone as she marched past the group just as Adam dove under his desk with his cell-phone. Lindsay reached out and grabbed Juliana's arm, but Juliana flipped around and knocked Lindsay down.

Unhurt, Lindsey crawled over to where Danny was laying, "Any more surprises?" Juliana snapped.

"You, get me Boscorelli," Sackheim snapped, glaring at Mac. "I've been trained to kill."

Mac raised his hands, "Drop your weapon and kick it to me or this little lady and her boyfriend get popped," Sackheim hissed, pointing his gun at Lindsay and the injured Danny. "Juliana!"

Juliana, however, had seen Adam on the phone and shot out the glass of the lab that he and Hawkes were in, prompting Hawkes to bolt for Danny and promptly get thrown against a metal wall by Sackheim, "….9-1-1, what is your emergency?" a voice said. "Please state your name…"

"Hmm, we could do with a little attention," Sackheim said quietly. "What's your name?"

Adam gulped, "Adam Ross," he replied shakily. "Aren't you an FBI Agent?"

"Alert the news and then patch a webcam to them so they can see exactly what's going on in here," Sackheim said in a cold voice, giving Adam a cold look. "We might as well make a show of it."

* * *

 ** _Crime Lab - Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Boy, Sara, you look ready to pop any day now," Greg commented kindly as Sara waddled into the break room where he was grabbing a bite to eat on his break. "Have you and Grissom thought of names?"

Sara shrugged and sighed as she grabbed an apple juice from the fridge and sat down, "Not yet," she replied in a quiet voice, a tired sigh in her voice. "How are you doing, Greg? You look a little sad."

"I miss Jenny," Greg admitted quietly. "She decided to stay in Texas for a few weeks."

Sara nodded, "I'd be willing to take on the responsibility of being her baby's dad if she wanted it that way," Greg admitted in a quiet voice. "Her and Nick don't seem to get along very well."

"You have to see it from Nick's point of view," Sara replied quietly. "Derek is Nick's brother and yet Derek did a lot of horrible things. Nick feels guilty over what Derek did, but he wants to be of help…"

Greg sighed, "Nick came back yesterday, but he hasn't said much," he replied in a worried voice. "I hope he's not going to go and try to help Derek. I don't think Derek can be reformed after all he's done."

Sara looked thoughtful and nodded just as Grissom came into the break room, "Hey," he said kindly.

"Grissom, I was wondering if Miami PD knew anything else about Warrick's involvement in that bombing where Ryan Wolfe's mom died?" Greg asked quietly. "He was only seen driving the car, right?"

Grissom frowned, "Warrick's missing in action, but Ecklie doesn't care whether or not there were extenuating circumstances," he replied in a somber voice. "When Warrick is finally located, he will be placed under arrest for his involvement by order of the sheriff. How is Ryan Wolfe even doing?"

"I talked to him on the phone this morning and he's out of the hospital, but not able to work again yet," Greg explained, gazing directly at Grissom while he talked. "He's staying with his sister's family."

Grissom nodded and sat down just as his cell-phone buzzed, "Grissom," he said, answering it.

" _Doctor Grissom, this is Detective Stella Bonasera from the New York Crime Lab and I need to talk to Catherine about something important_ ," Stella said in a worried voice. " _It's about her daughter_."

Grissom's eyes widened, "I'm the head of Victims Assistance," he replied. "What's the message?"

" _Lindsey was found by a CSI Trainee and a paramedic on medical leave today and she's currently at the hospital_ ," Stella said in a concerned voice. "I was asked to call Catherine and let her know…"

Grissom sighed, "Catherine and Rick live in Florida now with their son, but I will contact them and let them know about Lindsey," he replied in a kind voice. "Just keep Lindsey safe and comfortable."

Without waiting for a reply from Stella, Grissom hung up and dialed Catherine's private number.

A couple of dial tones sounded, " _Catherine Stetler_ ," a kind voice said. " _Is this Grissom_?"

"Catherine, I got a call from Stella Bonasera in New York," Grissom said. "They found Lindsey."

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Crime Lab/Police Department – Miami, Florida**_

Nearly half an hour later, Rick sat holed up in his office, stunned speechless after receiving a call from Catherine that Lindsey had been found alive in New York. Now, with his wife on the way to the police properties after she got Lenny from school, the IAB Sergeant found himself deeply shaken.

A knock sounded at the door, "Come in," Rick said, praying that it wasn't Horatio at the door.

The door opened and Robert came into the office, "Hey," he said softly. "Catherine called me."

Rick sighed heavily, "It's been years since we've seen our daughter and Catherine said she begged Grissom to go ahead to New York and check into it," he said quietly. "Just in case it's fake."

Robert nodded and sat down, "Have you talked to the department counselor?" he asked softly.

"Is she even here?" Rick asked in a tired voice. "She's got kids and a business to take care of."

Robert shrugged, "I really don't even want to fly to New York to deal with this because the stress of all this is going to screw up my hypoglycemia and trigger the post-traumatic stress disorder I got being under Sackheim's thumb," he admitted shakily. "Catherine really wants to see this through."

Before Robert could reply, Catherine came into view, "Lenny's in the break room and I packed enough things for the three of us for a few days," she said in an anxious voice. "I sent Grissom ahead…"

"I don't think I should go," Rick spoke quietly. "It will be psychologically damaging for me to go."

Catherine's eyes widened, "This is our daughter, Rick!" she replied angrily. "She's been missing!"

"The last time I was in New York, you nearly killed me because Sackheim told you to!" Rick snapped in an angry voice. "He thought I would stand in the way of his plans and so he told you to kill me!"

Robert's eyes widened in shock, "And you did it and left me for dead at the Dallenburgh," Rick hissed.

"How do you not care that Lindsey might be alive?" Catherine asked in an upset voice.

Rick sighed warily, "I care very much about our daughter, but I think we should make sure it's actually Lindsey before we rush off to New York," he spoke quietly. "If it's not her, we'll be right where we were back when both of our kids were first abducted and I cannot bring myself to go back to that point."

Catherine burst into tears and stormed from the room, prompting Rick to close his eyes and massage his forehead, "I have this horrible feeling that Stella didn't tell us everything about where Lindsey has been," Rick spoke quietly. "I think Wolfe helped her escape and she was recaptured in New York…"

Robert suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Calleigh assigned Eric to go over to Ryan's current residence and ask him what he can remember about helping Lindsey," he said quietly. "My uncle doesn't know that she did that and he explicitly warned everyone to leave Ryan alone regarding the matter."

Anger filled Rick's face, "Get Horatio and Duquesne in my office _now_ ," he growled.

* * *

 ** _Calle Ocho_**

"Uncle Ryan, can I check your heart?" Julliet asked quietly as she walked over to the hideabed in the corner of the living room where Ryan was resting with pillows behind his back. "With my doctor's kit?"

James, who was sitting on the hideabed with a puzzle, looked up, "Yeah, Julliet, you can check my heart," Ryan replied in a tired voice. "I just took some medicine, though, so I might sleep pretty soon."

Nodding, Julliet opened the toy doctor's kit that was near the bed and got out the oversized stethoscope, blowing on it before she placed it on Ryan's chest, "What do you hear?" he asked softly.

"Do you still have lots of band-aids?" James asked softly. "You stay in bed a lot, Uncle Ryan."

Ryan sighed, "I'm supposed to stay in bed a lot except to go to the bathroom, kiddo," he replied in a tired voice, wincing as he shifted in bed. "I'm sorry, Julliet, the medicine is making me very sleepy."

"Can we nap with you?" Julliet asked, putting the stethoscope away. "We're tired too."

Ryan smiled and nodded as he closed his eyes, frowning when he heard a knock at the door because it meant he had to get up to answer the door, "Just keep resting, Ryan, I'll get it," he suddenly heard Tim's voice say. "Emily and my mom went over to the center with my dad and Tony, but they'll be back soon."

Tim silently opened the door, "Delko, what is it?" he asked tiredly, seeing that Eric was at the door.

"New York called claiming that Lindsey Stetler was found this morning and Calleigh sent me to ask Ryan what he can remember about helping Lindsey," Eric replied. "The timeline is a little skewed."

Tim scoffed, "Calleigh's thinking Ryan is lying about not being able to remember?" he asked softly.

Having heard the voices, Ryan stirred and silently watched Tim and Eric, "Delko, Ryan just lost his mother and nearly lost his life twice because of sociopaths," Tim spoke coldly. "I spent a month in Las Vegas with Ryan while he recovered from being tortured and I saw what that goon did to him…"

"Look, I've got permission to take Ryan down to the PD if you don't let me talk to him here," Eric spoke in an anxious voice. "I can also have you arrested for obstruction of justice if you don't let me in."

Tim scoffed, "Then go get a warrant and a uniform because you're not coming in here to upset my kids and bother Ryan," he replied in a firm voice. "When Horatio asks what the warrant is for, tell him."

Eric's eyes widened as Tim slammed the door and locked it before going over to the hideabed where Ryan was lying awake looking distressed, "First, I find out that Warrick Brown from Las Vegas was involved in that bombing and now I'm being accused of obstruction and faking memory loss."

"Right, I'm going to call Horatio," Tim spoke quietly. "Do you need your pain meds first?"

Ryan sighed and closed his eyes, too defeated and shaken to argue or offer any reply.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade Crime Lab/Police Department – Miami, Florida_**

"Rick, I'd like to know why Calleigh and I are both in your office," Horatio, who had been on his way in after taking time that morning to look at a new house, said in a concerned voice as he and Calleigh sat in Rick's IAB office. "I made it clear that I would be late this morning due to some personal business."

Rick sighed, "I'm very aware of that and this is nothing to do with you or your personal business," he replied in a formal tone. "Detective Caine told me that Duquesne sent Delko over to Speedle's to question Wolfe about his role in Lindsey's whereabouts. They seem to think the worst of Wolfe."

Horatio raised an eyebrow and looked at Calleigh questioningly, "How does someone not remember rescuing a child that suddenly turns up in New York?" Calleigh asked in a cold, surprised voice.

"Lindsey's been found in New York?" Horatio asked in a surprised voice. "Why was I not told?"

Rick scoffed, "I warned you about your behavior, Duquesne, and you promised me you would deal with it on your own," he said, ignoring Horatio. "Now, with this information, I have no choice but to suspend you indefinitely until you can prove with paperwork that you did what I very nicely asked you to do."

Calleigh scoffed, "Fine," she replied coldly as she got up and left the IAB office looking angry.

"If Lindsey is in New York, I'm surprised that you and Catherine aren't on a plane there already," Horatio commented, stunned by Calleigh's suspension. "Your daughter has been missing for years…"

Rick sighed, "Catherine asked Grissom to look into it and I suggested we wait to see if it is Lindsey before we go rushing off to New York," he replied quietly. "New York has very painful memories for me."

"That's an understandable request," Horatio spoke quietly. "I take it Catherine got upset?"

Rick nodded, "She stormed out of here," he spoke quietly. "I haven't heard from her since."

Horatio sighed, "Daddy, are you in here?" a quiet voice called out. "Uncle Bobby, is he here?"

There were footsteps and Rick frowned when Robert came into view with Lenny, "Jesse Cardoza came on shift and found Lenny alone in the break room," Robert spoke quietly. "Where's Catherine?"

"Mommy said she was going on a plane," Lenny spoke softly. "She said to wait here for her."

Horatio looked concerned, "Okay, kiddo, why don't you grab a book off my shelf and have a seat on the couch?" Rick said calmly, trying to compose himself. "Uncle Bobby and Horatio will go find your mom."

Lenny nodded and quietly got a book from the shelf before taking a seat on the office couch.

* * *

 ** _Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York_**

Anxiety filled Brendan as he stepped off the elevator on to the Oncology Unit after learning from Sully that Bosco had chemo that day. Brendan had been at NYU doing administrative paperwork when he had been contacted by the Media Department to turn on the television. Thinking it was a prank, Brendan had done so and had been horrified to see a live feed being broadcast from the Crime Lab that showed an armed pair holding several people, including, John hostage and at least one person was injured.

Now, after making sure the NYPD and FDNY were on top of the situation, Brendan had hurried over to the Boscorelli apartment only to find Sully and Yelina there with Nicolas, Michael, and Emily. Brendan had explained the situation and Sully had told Brendan where to find Bosco and Danielle before tuning into the live feed to see what was going on. Both Yelina and Sully had offered to help, but Brendan had ordered them to get David and Ellie home from school if they could and to just stay close to home.

As Brendan approached the Oncology unit, he spotted Bosco and Danielle talking, "Bosco, Danielle," he said in an anxious voice as he entered the room. "There's something on TV you need to see."

Before Bosco or Danielle could reply, Brendan found the remote for the nearest TV and switched it to the channel the feed was broadcasting on, "Is…is that the Crime Lab?" Danielle asked anxiously.

"… _What's in the backpack, John?" Juliana snapped as she suddenly came out of one of the lab holding John's diabetes bag in one hand and a gun in the other. "Dennis, I found this stashed out of sight."_

 _John frowned, "I'm diabetic and I need that stuff," he protested anxiously. "Give it to me, please."_

 _Danielle's eyes widened in horror, "Juliana Morrison?!" she breathed anxiously. "Oh no…no!"_

 _Bosco frowned, "The psycho that raped that CSI who helped you and the kids?" he asked softly._

 _Danielle nodded and sighed anxiously, "Stop wasting time with that Sullivan brat, Juliana, and get him to tell us where that Emily Yokas girl is!" Sackheim snapped as he came into view with his gun. "Now!"_

 _Bosco frowned, "Once we have her, Ivan will take me off his hit list and do whatever I say if Derek Stokes has any hope of seeing his child or Emily," Sackheim hissed, frowning as he saw Hawkes look over Danny's wound. "What are you doing to him?! I will shoot him again if you don't back off!"_

" _This wound is bad," Hawkes said in an anxious voice. "I'm a doctor and he needs a hospital."_

 _Sackheim scoffed, "You wanna be known as a cop killer, dude?" John suddenly asked softly._

 _Bosco swore and Brendan's eyes widened, "What are you, 17?" Sackheim snapped angrily._

" _You kept a kid in your closet for months and now you wanna kill a cop?" John continued._

 _Mac gave John a look, but didn't say anything, "You're a bleeding heart just like you're mother and you're lying about needing that bag!" Juliana snapped as she pointed the gun at the bag and fired._

"That's a daily stash of insulin for John," Bosco spoke anxiously. "He's gonna get sick."

 _John sighed anxiously, "What can I do to help Detective Messer?" he asked, looking at Hawkes._

" _Just stay where you are," Hawkes said calmly as he took off his jacket and put it on Danny's leg._

 _Mac sighed heavily, "Look, why don't you let Doctor Hawkes take Detective Messer outside to where he can get some medical help?" he asked quietly as he reached for his weapon. "We can settle this…"_

 _Sackheim swore and shot at Mac's holster, causing his gun to fly off his belt and down the corridor, "Do that again and I'll blast more than just your gun," he hissed darkly. "I'm Special Agent Dennis Sackheim from the FBI and I am well trained in weapons use. Now, go sit down over by Detective Messer."_

 _Danielle frowned, "Come on, just let Messer go," John hissed darkly. "I'll stay if you do."_

 _Bosco frowned, "Fine," Sackheim snapped. "Just to shut you up, I want that Doctor Hawkes guy out."_

 _Hawkes helped Danny to stand up on his good leg, "He's 17," Danny snapped. "You have no right!"_

 _Sackheim responded by aiming his gun at Mac while Juliana picked up a shard of glass and pointed it at Lindsay's throat, "Okay," Hawkes said anxiously. "Messer's heavy, though, I'll need some help."_

 _Mac started forward and Sackheim promptly shot him in the arm while John ran at Juliana, who was holding glass against Lindsey's neck. John managed to ram Juliana into the wall and Lindsey wriggled out of Juliana's grip. Juliana swore and shoved John off her, continuing to swear as she cut his forehead._

"There's a task force being formed to deal with this," Brendan spoke up anxiously. "What do you…?"

Bosco sighed heavily, clearly upset about what he was seeing, "I'm getting a migraine," he replied.

Brendan nodded and turned the TV off, "I'll monitor the situation on my phone," he said, knowing that Bosco's migraine was from stress and anxiety as much as it was from chemo. "How long are you here?"

"I need to rest," Bosco spoke in a pained voice, burying his face in his hands. "I feel really sick."

Danielle sighed and lowered the chair so Bosco could lie down, "Brendan, would you please see if Faith and Emily are still around?" she asked softly. "Faith mentioned a few days ago Emily had an ultrasound appointment today and you need to make sure they are under the protection of the department."

Brendan nodded and left the ward while Danielle sat beside the easy chair, sighing as she watched Bosco drift into a deep slumber. She wanted to know how the hostage situation would end, but she also knew that it would prove too damaging to her husband's health to seek more answers right away.

* * *

In another part of the hospital, Stella and Carlos watched through the glass as Lindsey was settled in a hospital bed by nurses after being washed, treated, and put in clean pajamas. On top of dehydration and malnutrition, Lindsey had suffered broken ribs, multiple bruises, and several healed fractures and Stella had gotten a call from Grissom that he was on his way, but that Rick and Catherine were still in Miami.

Carlos had quietly called Holly and Tommy to come by to cheer Lindsey up, as it was obvious that the young girl hadn't seen any positive human interaction in a long time. It was then that Holly had explained what was going on at the Crime Lab and that it was being broadcast on television; she had said they would come after they got Kylie from school because they were worried about her safety.

"I don't understand why her parents aren't rushing up here," Carlos grumbled in a quiet voice.

Stella shrugged, as she knew that both Rick and Catherine had struggled in the years since Lindsey's disappearance and Rick was only doing better because Lenny had been found, but Catherine had never been able to bounce back emotionally, "I remember when Kylie was kidnapped," Carlos spoke in an emotional voice. "I rushed straight down there and I stayed by her side as much as I was allowed."

A nurse suddenly came out into the hall, "Carlos, Lindsey's asking for you," she said quietly.

Deeply surprised, Carlos entered the hospital room, "Hi there," he said in a kind, quiet voice.

"How come my mommy and daddy aren't here?" Lindsey asked quietly. "Where are they?"

Carlos sighed and sat in a chair beside the bed, "Maybe the police are still finding them," he replied even though he wasn't sure where Rick was and why he wasn't there. "I'll stay with you til they come."

Lindsey nodded, "Do you have kids, Mister Carlos?" she asked softly. "You seem really nice."

"Yes, I have a teenage son and a daughter who will be seven soon," Carlos replied gently, smiling at Lindsey because he knew she was scared. "I'm sure your parents will be happy to see you."

Lindsey sighed and suddenly started crying, prompting Carlos to move closer and give her a hug.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Grissom, there's a problem and it'll be a while before that chopper can get clearance to take you to New York," Ecklie said as he came into Grissom's office and saw Grissom putting some clothes and other things into a duffel that Sara had brought him. "There's a bit of a situation in New York right now."'

Grissom frowned, but didn't say anything, "The Crime Lab in New York has been taken hostage by former FBI Agent Dennis Sackheim and a former employee of our Crime Lab, Juliana Morrison," Ecklie stated in an angry voice. "I just got off the phone with NYPD and there are several hostages."

"Is anyone hurt?" Grissom asked in a concerned voice. "How did Juliana Morrison get involved?"

Ecklie sighed, "She stalked that John Sullivan kid at NYU and was his advisor for a while before his mother got wind of it and got her fired," he explained in a grim voice. "I'm not sure how Sackheim…"

"Sackheim was the one who blackmailed Catherine and Rick Stetler into going undercover with the promise that they'd see their kids again," Grissom explained. "Juliana Morrison had a thing for Nick."

Ecklie's eyes widened, "STOKES!" he shouted. "GET IN GRISSOM'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW!"

There were footsteps and Nick lingered in the doorway, "Nick, come in," Grissom said quietly.

Swallowing hard, Nick came in and sat down, "There's a situation in New York, Nick," Grissom explained before Ecklie could open his mouth. "Juliana Morrison and former FBI Agent Dennis Sackheim took the members of the New York Crime Lab hostage. We don't know why, exactly, but it's a serious…"

"Juliana Morrison stalked that John Sullivan kid at NYU as his advisor until Danielle Sullivan found out and got her fired," Ecklie spoke sternly. "There's a feed that was set up in the New York Lab, apparently, and it showed John Sullivan as one of the hostages, but he goes by his stepfather's name now."

Nick's eyes went wide, "John's just a kid, though," he replied. "What's he doing at the Crime Lab?"

"According to the NYPD, John is a CSI Trainee doing a co-op through NYU while he takes Criminal Justice there on an accelerated track," Ecklie spoke sternly. "From what the feed has said, Sackheim thinks that John knows where Emily Yokas is and he's got himself marked on a hit list by a guy named Ivan…"

Nick swallowed hard as Ecklie glared at him, "NYPD also said that your brother, Derek Stokes, has been confirmed as the father of Emily Yokas's baby," Ecklie hissed. "Emily Yokas is only 17 years old."

Nodding, Nick looked at the floor, "Nick, I know this is a lot to process, but we need you to tell us everywhere you were taken or held when you were your brother's prisoner," Grissom spoke softly.

"I gave that information as I remembered it," Nick replied quietly. "It should all be on file."

Ecklie rolled his eyes, "Derek Stokes has an accomplice that has caused this lab to become involved, or did you think Miami was joking when they said Warrick Brown was driving the car that was involved in that bombing?" he asked sternly. "If I find out you're withholding information to protect your brother, Stokes, I will personally have your job, your badge, and see that you spend life in the penitentiary."

"I…I'm not," Nick replied in a quiet voice, the stress of Derek's behavior triggering a migraine.

Grissom frowned as he watched Nick massage his forehead, "Nick?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"I've just got a migraine," Nick spoke in a shaky voice. "I've been going to therapy since I got back from Texas and I was warned that I might get them sometimes if I think about Derek's behavior too much…"

Grissom looked confused and concerned, "Your parents talked you into therapy?" he asked quietly.

Shaking his head, Nick silently got up, "No," he replied. "Jenny said I should do it or I might…"

Without warning, Nick threw up on Grissom's floor, "Call for EMS," Ecklie hissed. "Now!"

* * *

 ** _New York Crime Lab – New York City_**

The streets in front of the Crime Lab had been blocked off and police cars, ambulances, and even a fire truck were parked outside the barriers. Police officers, paramedics, firefighters, and FBI Agents were scattered all over the street and several laptops had been set up to monitor the live feed inside. News vans and members of the media were also present because the feed was live all over the city.

Ty, as a Sergeant in Anti-Crime, found himself at the front of the crowd and silently watching the front door trying to decide what to do. SWAT had been called, but NYPD was reluctant to send them in because there were reports of injuries and they didn't want anyone to die. Suddenly, the front door of the building opened and Hawkes came out helping Danny walk while trying to keep him upright while other lab personnel followed, all of them shaken, covered in glass, and silent out of pure anxiety.

"Detective Messer was shot in the leg by Sackheim," Hawkes explained anxiously. "Medics!"

Ty frowned as paramedics came and took Danny from Hawkes, "Detective Taylor, Detective Monroe, Detective Flack, and Trainee John Boscorelli are still inside," Hawkes explained anxiously.

"Davis, get over here and look at the feed!" a voice suddenly shouted. "Something's going down!"

Ty hurried over to where several cops were monitoring the feed on a laptop and watched as Lindsey dressed Mac's injured arm with a lab coat. In another section of the part of the lab visible on the feed, Sackheim stood in place thinking while Juliana watched John and Flack sit against a damaged wall.

"I am getting tired of this game," Sackheim hissed. "John, where is your little friend, Emily Yokas, at?"

John, however, said nothing and Sackheim swiftly pointed his gun at Flack, "You, up!" Sackheim hissed.

Flack sighed, but got up and moved in Mac's direction, "John, if you don't tell me what I want to know, I'm going to kill Detective Taylor and Detective Flack right in front of you," Sackheim hissed darkly.

"John, don't say anything," Flack spoke anxiously. "He's 17, Sackheim; he's just an innocent kid."

Sackheim scoffed and cocked the gun, "When pregnant women in this city need a place to think that's away from all the noise and distraction, they go to Coney Island," John lied in a trembling voice. "Emily's been through a lot, so she goes there at least once a day and spends most of the day out there."

Mac's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing because he could tell that John was lying simply to try and get Sackheim and Juliana out of the lab, "Flack, give the kid your car keys," Sackheim hissed. "Do it."

"This kid's a good liar like his mother, Dennis," Juliana hissed anxiously. "She can't be there."

Sackheim scoffed, "John's going to drive me there and I will get what I need," he replied. "You…"

Silently pointing his gun at Juliana, Sackheim shot her in the stomach, downing her, "You can lie here in your own blood and enjoy jail if you make it," he spoke coldly. "You've been useless from the start."

Flack reluctantly reached into his pocket and got his keys out, "Show us to your car and I'll blow both your heads off if you try to pull anything," Sackheim ordered. "Taylor, Monroe, clean up the mess."

"It's…it's in the back and you have to go through the fire exit," Flack said anxiously. "I'll show you."

Sackheim nodded and made a 'hurry up' motion with the gun, prompting Flack and John to move off through the lab towards the fire exit. Once they were out of sight, Mac got his radio out.

"One of the assailants is down and the other is armed and has taken Detective Flack and CSI Trainee Boscorelli hostage," Mac reported in a grim voice. "Sackheim is going to Coney Island with his hostages and we need paramedics in here to tend to the injured assailant. We also have a lot of damage."

Lindsey anxiously got up and moved over to Juliana, shocked when she saw that Juliana was crying anxiously while bleeding out, "Tell Nick…tell Nick that he has a child," Juliana spoke weakly.

Swallowing hard, Lindsey got a tape recorder from her pocket and recorded all that Juliana was saying while Mac did his best to stop the bleeding. Neither of them knew what the outcome would be.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital**_

"I…I don't feel good," Bosco moaned groggily, gagging as he slowly got on to the hospital bed from the wheelchair he had been taken from the Oncology Unit in after vomiting. "Everything hurts, Dani."

Danielle nodded and helped him lie down in such a way that the IV line of fluids that was now in his arm wouldn't be disrupted. After Brendan had left, Bosco had started puking from the migraine so much that his session was suspended and he was moved into a room for observation, pain meds, and fluid therapy.

"Just try and rest, Maurice," Danielle spoke softly. "Do you want the oxygen tube in your nose?"

Bosco nodded and Danielle gently set it up for him, sighing as he fell asleep quickly. She silently covered him up and then sat on the edge of the hospital bed, hoping that she could be the strong one that day.

As Bosco slept, Danielle's phone suddenly buzzed and she got it out of her pocket, "Mrs. Boscorelli, this is Detective Taylor," Mac spoke in a shaky voice. "Are you still watching the feed from the lab?"

"No, my husband got sick during chemo and he's now admitted for observation and rest," Danielle replied in a concerned voice. "My parents are at home with our other kids. What's going on?"

Mac sighed heavily, "Dennis Sackheim shot Juliana Morrison and then took John and Detective Flack hostage to Coney Island," he explained quietly. "John lied to Dennis about finding Emily Yokas."

Danielle frowned, but before she could reply, she saw a uniformed officer escort Faith and a confused looking Emily past the room, "Faith?" she called out as she got up and hurried into the hallway.

"Are Faith Yokas and Emily Yokas there?" Mac asked in a confused voice. "Are they safe?"

Danielle sighed and nodded, ignoring the confused look Faith was giving her, "Yes," she replied.

"Keep them with you," Mac said in an anxious voice. "I'll come down there as soon as I can."

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	12. Explosion of Inner Strength

**_Miami, Florida_**

By the time Calleigh had gathered her things and left the lab in her own personal car, it was noon and she was both tired and hungry. Her anger had disappeared as she drove away from the police properties, as she knew deep down that Stetler was right in that she needed to deal with the past.

Determined to apologize for her actions, Calleigh drove silently through Calle Ocho towards Speedle's house because she wanted to make things right. As she drove through the downtown market area, however, she saw people wearing sunglasses gathered around a car that had a damaged tire.

Quickly recognizing Warrick, Calleigh hurriedly locked her doors and hit 9-1-1 on her phone, "Yes, this is CSI Duquesne," she said when a dispatcher answered. "I need to report a sighting of Warrick Brown…"

Suddenly, one of the figures turned around and pointed a bloodstained gun at Calleigh, "Out of the car, blondie!" he hissed, a hint of an accent in his voice. "Derek, looks like we got ourselves a ride."

Calleigh froze in terror as Derek Stokes came into view, "A blonde cop," Derek Stokes said in an amused voice, a grin appearing on his face. "I remember Wolfe blathering about some blonde cop he was related to when Sackheim was drugging him to death. She doesn't look like him though, so who is she?"

Warrick eyed Calleigh warily, "Come on, Brown, I know you recognize her!" Derek snapped irritably.

Nodding, Warrick looked away and most of the people came over to the car with guns in their hands, "Come on, blondie, out of the car or we'll blow your head off," Derek said in a bored voice. "Now."

Swallowing hard, Calleigh unlocked the doors and got out of the car, "What's your name?" Derek asked in a cold voice as he pressed Calleigh against the car. "You're not Wolfe's sister, so who are you?"

"My name is Calleigh," Calleigh spoke in an anxious voice. "Can you please let me go?"

Derek looked amused and gently stroked Calleigh's face with his rough hand and Calleigh suddenly flashed back to when Hagen used to abuse her, "You look terrified," he said smoothly as he reached on to Calleigh's belt and took both her gun and badge. "If you do what I say, you won't be hurt."

Warrick came over to the car and Derek grabbed her, smirking as he pushed her into him, "We're just going to take a little ride," Derek said smoothly, slipping the badge into his pocket. "Don't even…"

A car suddenly drove by and Calleigh recognized Tim's parents and Emily as they passed the scene and parked in a nearby driveway. Seeing that there was an issue, Emily quickly got her off-duty gun out as she got out and Derek quickly grabbed Calleigh and pressed the gun against her blonde hair.

"Do it and I will blow her head off!" Derek shouted, daring Emily to come after him. "I mean it!"

The guys that were surrounding the damaged car quickly scampered over to Calleigh's car and forced Warrick into the backseat as approached the car, "I need a driver," Derek hissed in a dark voice.

Anxious Spanish filled the air as Emily directed Anthony and Rosa to the house while ducking behind the car in such a way that she had a view of what was going on, but they couldn't see her. Tim suddenly came outside with his off-duty gun, saw what was going on, and fired off several shots at the group before ducking behind the car beside Emily. The bullets struck the men who weren't yet in the car.

As the men fell over, Derek scrambled into the front seat and pulled Calleigh after him, "DRIVE!" he screamed manically, pointing the gun at her face. "I'll kill both you and Warrick if you don't!"

Ignoring the shaking in her hands, Calleigh put the car into gear and took off at an alarming speed while the men hit by Tim's bullets bled out all over the street, "Are you and the baby okay?" Tim gasped.

"We're fine," Emily replied as she slowly stood up. "I told your parents to get in the house right away…"

Tim quickly got up, hugged Emily, and then stepped out to check the damage, "I'll call CSI," he said.

* * *

 ** _New York, New York_**

"Where will you go after you're done at Coney Island?" John asked in a shaky voice as he sat behind the wheel of Flack's ghost car while Sackheim sat in the passenger's seat brandishing a gun and an anxious Flack sat in the back after being warned not to try anything or John would be shot. "An island?"

Flack gave John a confused look and Sackheim glared at him as the car moved through back streets so to avoid running into cops. Little did Sackheim know that Mac had ordered a surprise task force to be waiting at Coney Island and to let them get there without disruption to spare the hostages lives.

"What are you babbling on about, Sullivan?" Sackheim hissed darkly. "Are you sick or something?"

John sighed heavily, as he was becoming tired from his blood sugar dropping and the blood loss he had suffered from being sliced across the forehead, "If you could go anywhere, where would you go?" he repeated himself. "My mom says it's a question that could start a pretty interesting conversation."

Sackheim thought for a moment, "I'd go back to Miami and hop a boat to Brazil," he admitted in a dark voice, eyeing Flack in the rearview mirror suspiciously. "Sullivan, for a kid who's got a gun to his head and is going to get killed if Emily Yokas isn't at Coney Island, you are amazingly calm and collected."

Swallowing hard, John nodded because he knew that even if he was killed, the other people in the Crime Lab would be safe and his family would be safe, "We're approaching Coney Island," he finally said softly.

"Park the car," Sackheim hissed in a cold voice. "Detective Flack, get your phone out and record this…"

Flack reluctantly got his phone out and watched as Sackheim dragged John from the car before following, hating that he had to get this on tape. The island itself was quiet, desolate, and nobody was around; the remnants of winter were also obvious with patches of snow and ice in certain areas.

"She's not here, you freak!" Sackheim snapped as he looked around at the empty island.

Swearing loudly, Sackheim cocked his gun, but John slammed himself against Sackheim and grabbed the gun from the former agent's hand. Sackheim stomped on John's foot to stop him from running, but John smacked him in the face with the gun and ran out of range and Flack's eyes widened in shock.

Sackheim swore, silently bent over, and extracted a gun from a holster on his leg and as he prepared to fire, John fired off two shots and both hit Sackheim in the chest. Sirens filled the air as Sackheim fell to the earth with blood coming out of the wounds on his chest and Flack quickly ran over to John.

"I…I feel dizzy and sick," John spoke in a trembling voice, the combination of adrenaline, low blood sugar, and pain from injuries he got while being battered in the Crime Lab and having his foot stomped on finally taking its toll. "Detective Flack, I'm gonna puke and pass out. I killed a guy…I had…had to."

Flack frowned as John sank to his knees and dropped down beside him, "You did the right thing," he spoke in an anxious voice, stunned at what he had just seen. "Help is coming, so just hang in there."

Trembling anxiously, John nodded, "Don!" Mac's voice carried across the air as Mac, paramedics, and several uniformed officers and FBI Agents came into view and saw Sackheim was dead while Flack was kneeling beside a clearly battered John. "We got here as fast as we could. What happened?!"

Flack, however, focused on helping John up off the ground and over to the waiting gurney, "He's diabetic and Sackheim destroyed his diabetes supplies, so he's got low blood sugar in addition to injuries," he said to the paramedics. "Don't even bother with Agent Sackheim; he's dead."

Mac looked confused and concerned as the media began arriving, "Sackheim made me record, so I got the whole thing on film," Flack explained, offering his cell-phone. "What about the other assailant?"

"Lindsay's at the hospital waiting on news," Mac replied anxiously. "The FBI is looking anxious."

Flack nodded and watched as Ty approached the ambulance and talked with John, who was now sporting a blanket, IVs, a foot splint, and an oxygen mask, "That's Sergeant Davis from Anti-Crime and he's in charge," Mac explained in a quiet voice. "The coroner's on his way here because nobody…"

"Trust me, Mac, I didn't expect this either," Flack replied, stunned about what had just happened.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Police Department/ Crime Lab – Miami, Florida**_

"Calleigh was carjacked in Calle Ocho in my neighborhood, so it's very likely she was on her way over to apologize," Tim reasoned quietly as he stood just outside the police blockade that surrounded the area where Calleigh had been carjacked. "I've known Calleigh for a long time and she's not malicious."

Horatio sighed heavily, "No, she's not," he replied quietly. "I wonder why they took Calleigh."

"It's Derek Stokes, do we have to wonder?" Eric asked coldly. "He killed a lot of people."

Before Horatio could reply, a car pulled up and Rick got out while Lenny stayed in the back of the car, "Horatio, a word?" Rick asked in a stern voice, his expression stern. "It's very important."

"Rick, a CSI was carjacked and kidnapped," Horatio spoke as he walked over to Rick. "What is it?"

Rick's eyes widened slightly, but he sighed, "Special Agent Dennis Sackheim of the FBI took the Crime Lab in New York hostage with the help of an accomplice earlier today," he explained in a quiet voice. "I just got a call from New York telling me about it and Sackheim was killed by a CSI Trainee that he took hostage and injured in an attempt to flee from the city. You need to tell Ryan Wolfe about it."

Horatio frowned, "A CSI's life is on the line," he replied. "I am still waiting for Bobby to get here…"

"I've assigned Detective Caine to another case," Rick spoke quietly. "A crisis response case."

Horatio gave Rick a look, "Catherine went to the airport and had a breakdown when she couldn't get on a plane to New York right away, so Detective Tripp picked her up and took her to holding," Rick spoke in an anxious voice. "I sent Robert to get her out of there and talk to Catherine because she trusts him."

"I don't think Ryan will remember his interactions with Sackheim," Horatio spoke in a quiet voice. "Nor will he remember anything to do with Lindsey. You mentioned that Stella Bonasera is with her?"

Rick nodded, "The chief caught wind of that and he wants to make a big deal of it," he said warily.

Horatio sighed, "I wonder if he could remember Ray Jr. at all," he spoke in a quiet voice.

"I think Ryan needs to be made aware that his efforts helped a child," Rick spoke quietly.

Horatio nodded and walked down the street to the Speedle home, ignoring the fact that Tim was following him while Eric and Jesse started processing the scene. Tim caught up to Horatio as they reached the front door and wondered why his boss was coming over, but trusted him implicitly.

"Speed, would you mind if I had a word with Ryan?" Horatio asked quietly. "It's important."

Tim nodded and let Horatio into the house, smiling when he saw that Ryan was awake and eating a light lunch off of a TV tray while James and Julliet ate at a plastic table, "Ryan, we need to talk," Horatio said.

Ryan nodded, so Horatio got a chair and put it next to the hideabed, "Lindsey Stetler was found alive in New York and she is now at the hospital under the protection of the NYPD," Horatio spoke quietly. "I know you can't remember what you did, but your efforts have saved the life of a missing child."

"That's…that's good, but I still don't remember rescuing her," Ryan replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

Horatio nodded and sighed as Emily came into the living room, "Any word on Calleigh?" Emily asked.

Ryan frowned, "Emily told me that Calleigh was carjacked and taken," he spoke in a shaky voice.

"Yes, by Derek Stokes and Warrick Brown," Horatio spoke quietly. "Can we talk about Warrick for a bit, Ryan? I know from Speed that you two met during your time in Las Vegas. What did you learn?"

Ryan was very quiet for several moments, "Warrick was addicted to gambling," he spoke in a quiet voice as he slowly remembered his time in Vegas. "All the CSI's signed up to sit with me to give Tim relief, but Warrick was late for his volunteer time a lot because he was betting on things or chatting up girls."

Horatio nodded, "I just…I can't believe Warrick helped kidnap Calleigh after helping kill all those people at the behavioral center," Ryan spoke in a somber voice. "I…I thought I could trust that guy."

"Ryan, you should probably get up so you can make your appointment on time," Emily spoke softly.

Nodding, Ryan carefully took the tray off of the bed and set it on the nearby table before slowly getting up, "Sorry, but I have a counseling thing," he said quietly. "My siblings said I needed to deal with…"

Horatio nodded, "I have a checkup anyway, so I'll drive you," Emily spoke gently. "All right?"

Tim looked concerned, but Emily gave him a look, "Your parents are shaken up," she spoke gently. "And you need to stay with James and Juliet because they heard all the shooting and might get upset."

"Just be careful," Tim replied in a concerned voice. "Go and come back as fast as you can."

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital, New York**_

Grateful to finally be on the ground again, Grissom pulled his rolling suitcase after him as he entered the hospital after hopping a chopper from Las Vegas once being given the all-clear to go. While in the air, he had heard bits and pieces about the incident and that Lindsey was fine, but he still knew very little.

As he approached the desk, however, he saw a crowd of CSI's, uniformed officers, and reporters all talking with each other while the nurses worked around them, "John Boscorelli is being well taken care of by the doctors and nurses of this facility," Mac was saying calmly. "He is, without a doubt, a hero because his actions saved the many lives of the people who work at the New York Crime Lab…"

"What about Detective Messer?" a voice asked as flashes went off. "He was injured at the lab."

Grissom watched Mac nod, "Detective Messer is stable," Mac replied calmly. "Currently in surgery."

Rapid talking filled the air and more cameras went off, "…Excuse me," Mac said, spotting Grissom.

Concern filled Grissom's face as Mac approached, "Dennis Sackheim is dead," Mac spoke quietly.

"What happened?" Grissom asked, stunned that a former FBI agent was now dead. "How…?"

Mac sighed, "Detective Flack can tell you more," he replied. "Flack is resting in the doctor's lounge."

Grissom nodded and followed Mac into a quieter area of the hospital, frowning when he heard a retching sound coming from the doctor's lounge, "Don?" Mac called out, knocking on the door.

Not getting a response, Mac opened the door just in time to see Flack wipe his mouth with a napkin and loosen his tie anxiously, "Don, you all right?" he asked quietly. "Doctor Grissom from Las Vegas is here."

"Um, I just needed some space," Flack replied in a slightly nervous voice. "Why is he here?"

Mac sighed patiently, "Have you been checked out yet?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm just feeling a little shaky," Flack replied as he planted himself on a chair. "I'm fine."

Grissom silently took a seat near Flack, "What happened out there?" he asked in a worried voice.

"It's not something I'm ready to discuss," Flack replied quietly. "Not til I know if John's okay."

Mac nodded, "His mother's with him, but I guess his stepfather got sick at chemo and is in a room getting treated," Flack continued quietly. "Paramedics wanted to check me out, but I told them no."

"I understand that former FBI Agent Dennis Sackheim was killed," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice.

Flack nodded, "There's so much damage to the lab," he replied quietly. "And that accomplice…"

"You shouldn't be alone, Don," Mac spoke. "Where's Lindsay? I thought she rode in the ambulance?"

Flack shrugged, "After she talked to Juliana Morrison, she took that Sergeant Davis guy and went somewhere based on what she was told," he replied quietly. "I haven't heard from her since."

"Juliana Morrison?" Grissom asked in a concerned voice. "She used to work for the Vegas Lab."

Flack shrugged and sighed, "Don, you should get checked out," Mac spoke firmly. "Please."

"If someone's available, sure," Flack replied nervously. "It's like a circus out there right now."

Mac nodded, "How did Sackheim die?" Grissom asked in a confused voice. "The police?"

"He's 17 years old and he killed a guy," Flack said as he suddenly got up and began pacing with a hand on his forehead. "Mac, I saw it all and it's freaking me out; I cannot believe that actually happened."

Grissom frowned, quickly realizing that John Boscorelli had killed Dennis Sackheim, "The FBI and all available lab techs are dealing with the mess left at the lab," Mac spoke calmly. "Where's John at?"

"He's either in a trauma room down here or upstairs where it's quiet," Flack replied shakily.

Mac nodded, "Do you know where I can find Stella Bonasera?" Grissom asked. "She's with Lindsey."

"I'll show you," Mac replied in a calm voice. "Don, do you want me to send someone in here?"

Flack shrugged, but didn't say anything as Mac led Grissom out of the quiet doctor's lounge.

* * *

 _ **Brooklyn, New York**_

Lindsay sighed quietly as she knocked on the door to the house that she and Ty had been directed to by the heavily injured Juliana. She didn't know Nick or anything about how he and Juliana were connected, but she wanted to see if there was, in fact, a child that needed to be brought to his father's attention.

There were footsteps and the door opened, revealing a silver-haired woman that looked like Juliana to a tee, "Yes?" the woman asked softly as she smoothed down her tan clothes. "Can I help you?"

"Are you related to Juliana Morrison?" Lindsay asked quietly. "I'm Lindsay Monroe from the Crime Lab."

The woman frowned, "I'm Juliana's mother, Adrienne," she replied softly. "Has something happened?"

Ty sighed, "Ma'am, I'm Sergeant Davis from NYPD Anti-Crime," he replied quietly. "Can we come in?"

Adrienne nodded and sighed as Ty and Lindsay came in, "Something's happened to Juliana and that moron she hooked up with is responsible, correct?" she asked softly. "Would you like some tea?"

"Juliana assisted a former FBI agent named Dennis Sackheim in taking the Crime Lab hostage and she ended up severely wounded at his hands," Lindsey explained quietly. "She's in critical condition at Angel of Mercy Hospital in Manhattan, but she mentioned that she had a son with a man named Nick…"

Adrienne sighed and looked incredibly sad, "She worked as a laboratory tech in Las Vegas for a long time, but one day she showed up here saying she had done an incredibly bad thing to a man named Nick and she was pregnant from it," she replied softly. "Juliana has done her best as a single mother and I have always been here to help, but we disagreed on whether or not this Nick had a right to know…"

Lindsay nodded silently, "Parker is about five years old and he's always been a very good boy," Adrienne explained in a quiet voice, tears filling her eyes. "He's in the middle of his morning nap right now and I've been looking after him full-time since Juliana let that Sackheim man live in her apartment because he hates children and she wanted better for her son. I suppose I should find a way to contact Nick…"

"I don't know this Nick, but I know he's a CSI in Las Vegas," Lindsay replied in a kind voice.

Adrienne nodded and wept quietly, "Gramma?" a quiet voice suddenly called out. "I'm waked up."

Lindsay and Ty looked surprised when a little boy sporting dark hair came out into the front area wearing sweat pants, socks, and a sweater, "Are you my daddy?" Parker asked, looking up at Ty.

"No, I'm a police officer," Ty replied nervously. "I don't know who your daddy is, little guy."

Parker nodded and clung to his grandmother, "Please, if you know of a way to contact this Nick, I would be very happy for my grandson to be in a better situation," Adrienne spoke softly. "He deserves that."

"Someone from Nick's Crime Lab came to investigate a different situation and I'm sure he would know how to contact Nick," Lindsay spoke in a kind voice. "I don't know if he's in New York yet."

Adrienne nodded and hugged Parker, "I hope Nick will love him despite what Juliana did," she said.

"Gramma, I'm hungry," Parker spoke quietly. "Can we go to the McDonald's?"

Adrienne smiled sadly and sighed, "Parker, honey, your mommy was hurt today and we need to go to the hospital to see how she is," she replied in a kind voice, gazing at him. "Can we do that first?"

Parker nodded, "Sergeant Davis and I will be more than happy to take you there," Lindsay offered.

"Let me just get our coats," Adrienne replied as she struggled to compose herself properly.

* * *

 ** _Florida Everglades_**

"Just stay in here like a good girl and Stokes will be along," Diego hissed as he shoved Calleigh, who had driven out to the hideout according to Derek's directions, into the room where Derek was living.

Calleigh sighed and frowned when Derek suddenly shoved past Diego holding a bag that Calleigh hadn't seen before, "Go pack or do something productive, Diego," Derek hissed. "I have to take my meds."

"So, you finally got some?" Diego asked quietly. "That doctor in Calle Ocho helped you out?"

Derek scoffed, "We got in a shootout on the way home," he hissed. "Ivan is looking for you."

Diego's eyes widened and he scampered off, "You're not hurt, are you, blondie?" Derek asked in a standoffish voice, glancing at Calleigh as he went over to a dresser and set the bag down gently.

"Your men were a little rough," Calleigh admitted quietly, watching as Derek opened the bag and took out diabetes supplies as well as prescription medication. "Do you have some sort of illnesses?"

Derek scoffed, "The eldest son of a federal judge physically and mentally broken and stealing just to be able to pay for doctor's appointments and medicines," he hissed darkly. "Isn't that a tragic story?"

Calleigh said nothing, "I'm still very angry and depressed, but I get amnesiacally violent when I don't have access to medication," Derek explained in a gruff voice as he took some pills. "It's an anger so deep that I forget who I am and what the difference between right and wrong is. I steal to afford the meds. When that happens, my blood sugar gets so low that I occasionally have a very painful seizure and I sometimes contemplate violent suicide. I was trying to off myself that day at the mental hospital."

"Who's your doctor in Calle Ocho?" Calleigh asked softly. "Or do you get your drugs illegally?"

Derek sighed, "Free clinics do wonders for guys who don't want to be found," he replied stiffly. "If I went to an official clinic, they would contact my parents and my family would know I'm a mentally ill loser."

Calleigh frowned and watched Derek inject himself with meds, "I was seen as trouble in school and nobody could figure out why," Derek hissed coldly. "I worked to be able to afford doctor's visits that I could pay for in cash so I could see what was wrong, but my parents thought I was doing bad things."

Derek set the needle down and glared at Calleigh, "I never even touched that Emily Yokas girl because I was in an angry mood, but I was in my right mind and she was a minor biting off more than she could chew," he hissed darkly, breathing heavily as the meds kicked in. "How badly did they hurt you?"

Calleigh said nothing and Derek silently repacked his bag, "I have no intention of dragging you where I'm headed," he hissed softly, sadness in his voice. "I'll take your car and Warrick, but you'll be quite safe."

"Why did you need a driver?" Calleigh asked in a confused voice. "That's what you said to me."

Derek scoffed and yelled something in Spanish, prompting a Cuban guy in scrubs to come into the room carrying a medical bag, "Our guest is tired, Doctor Vittorio," Derek said smoothly. "Help her sleep."

Dr. Vittorio nodded and extracted a needle from his bag as he approached Calleigh, who tried to push him away, only to find herself kicked in the ribs to the floor by him while Derek watched, "I assure you, you will be relaxed very soon, my dear," Dr. Vittorio said smoothly as poked Callegh in the arm.

Calleigh struggled to sit up, but the contents of the needle kicked in and she suddenly felt drowsy.

"You have a nice rest, Miss Duquesne," Derek said as he picked up his bag. "Doctor Vittorio, vamos."

Powerless to fight, all Calleigh could do was watch Derek and Dr. Vittorio leave as she passed out.

* * *

 _ **Downtown Miami**_

"What do you want to eat and drink?" Robert asked kindly as he led Catherine to a booth in a quiet, diner-like restaurant that would give them a view of the beach. "I might fancy a burger, myself."

Catherine frowned as she sat, "No lectures on my behavior at the airport?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm a Crisis Response Officer who minored in Psychology in university," Robert replied in an amused voice, sitting across from her. "And I'm someone you trust. I think a diner is a nice setting for a chat."

Catherine eyed him warily, "I've also lost a child that I will never get back," Robert spoke quietly. "When Maggie went missing, I was very emotionally vulnerable and I was feeling like you are feeling now."

"You never mentioned a daughter," Catherine spoke quietly. "Rick said you lost her two years ago?"

Robert nodded, "She was kidnapped and later killed," he replied softly. "By my ex-wife and a man named Fred Yokas simply because my -ex hated me. Her name was Margaret Amanda, or Maggie."

"I'm sorry," Catherine spoke softly, tears filling her eyes. "It must be a painful subject for you."

As a waitress approached the table, Robert sighed, "What do you want to eat?" he asked gently.

"Um, I'll have a chicken sandwich with onion rings and a chocolate milkshake," Catherine replied.

The waitress nodded and looked at Robert, "A bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and a chocolate milkshake, please," he replied in a kind voice, smiling as the waitress left. "I had such a bad anxiety attack at her funeral that I had to be removed from the funeral and sent to the emergency room."

Catherine nodded, her expression sorrowful, "I really want it to be Lindsey that's waiting for us in New York and if it's not, I'm going to be devastated," she explained. "I sent Grissom to go check it out because he's known both our kids since they were little and he'll know for sure if it's Lindsey."

"Well, the airport didn't ban you outright, but they want you to be calmer when you come back," Robert spoke in a kind voice. "Thankfully, Detective Tripp responded and he's a very calm, easygoing guy."

Catherine looked amused, "It's that lady he's got in Texas," she replied. "She's the sister of Nick Stokes."

Robert nodded and sighed, "I can tell you right now that if it is Lindsey, your family's going to be in for some rough readjustments," he spoke softly. "My family found it very hard to adjust to Maggie's death and we're still adjusting to it. She's buried in New York with her mother and the thought of visiting…"

"I've noticed how Natalia Boa Vista has helped you heal," Catherine spoke softly. "She's very kind."

Robert smiled, "Yes, she's very wonderful," he replied softly. "Lindsey has been away for several years, Catherine, and she's probably been exposed to some terrible things. It may take her a while to trust that she won't be recaptured and that she still has a family who loves her. You guys need to just love her."

Catherine nodded and sighed, "And I think it's good that you and Natalia got engaged, but you shouldn't make it a long engagement," she replied gently. "Life's too short not to take chances with happiness."

Just then, the waitress came over to the table with two very large, very thick chocolate milkshakes.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York**_

Mac silently lingered at the door to Lindsey's room while Grissom peeked through the small window, silently watching as Lindsey talked with Carlos, Holly, and two kids, "Carlos Nieto and John Boscorelli found her on their way to the Lab this morning," Mac explained. "Carlos was walking John there."

Grissom nodded as Mac handed him a wallet holding a school ID that featured a picture of Lindsey, "That's what Lindsey looked like when she was abducted," Grissom replied, eyeing the photo.

Mac nodded and led Grissom into the room, "Hi there, Lindsey," he said in a kind voice. "This is…"

"Uncle Gil!" Lindsey said in a weak, but happy voice. "Did my parents send you to look for me?"

Grissom nodded and smiled at Carlos and Holly as he approached the bed, "I really, really want my mommy and daddy and brother, Uncle Gil," Lindsey spoke quietly. "Will you call them about me?"

"Lindsey, you should get some rest," Carlos spoke gently. "Will you be a good girl?"

Lindsey nodded and hugged Carlos, sighing as he and his family left the room and allowed Grissom to take over sitting with her, "Daddy, is Lindsey gonna be okay?" Kylie asked softly. "She looks sad."

"Lindsey's been missing for a long time, Kylie," Carlos replied softly. "Her parents are coming soon."

Kylie nodded and looked sad, so Carlos gently picked her up, "She's going to be fine and she reminded me how much more grateful I am for you and Tommy," he spoke softly, kissing her small cheek.

Holly smiled, "You guys are the best parents," Tommy said. "How come you didn't have more kids?"

"We've tried, but couldn't," Holly replied gently. "We're working on trying to adopt another kid."

Tommy nodded, "In the meantime, though, we have two amazing ones," Holly spoke, hugging him.

Mac smiled, "Carlos, have you thought about going back to work for EMS?" he asked softly. "I know it's a difficult subject, but how have you been doing since the incident with Bernard Marquez and his men?"

"I've been going to counseling wherever I can and I keep busy by homeschooling my son," Carlos replied quietly, hating the fact that they were discussing Bernard Marquez. "FDNY knows the story and I'm not sure they'd let me work around medication after what I did. In fact, I have been told as much…"

Holly shot Carlos a look, "I've tried to get on for casual, but I've been told by the 5-5 that I'm not trustworthy around patients or medication because I might act impulsively if a patient under duress begs for relief," Carlos spoke quietly. "I didn't want to talk about it in front of the kids…"

Mac looked surprised, "I don't believe you would," he spoke calmly. "Did you want some help?"

Carlos shrugged, "If you can maybe put a good word in with FDNY Headquarters, maybe they'll let me teach CPR classes at night to teens," he spoke quietly. "Holly, I know you have to work later, so I'll run the kids home and get whatever they need, all right? Detective Taylor, have a nice day, all right?"

Holly looked incredibly sad as Carlos kissed her cheek and left with the kids, "Billy Walsh is the Lieutenant over at the 5-5, isn't he?" Mac asked quietly. "Even after his suspension?"

"Yes," Holly replied bitterly. "My superiors said that Walsh had completed his sensitivity training."

Mac scoffed, "Carlos did a good thing helping Lindsey Stetler today and people are still blaming him for a very precarious situation that was out of his control," he said calmly. "I'll do what I can to make sure his role in helping Lindsey Stetler is recognized for the heroic act that it is. You have my word on that."

Holly nodded, "Hey…I saw what was going on on the feed," she asked softly. "Is John all right?"

"I'll go check on him right now," Mac replied in a reassuring voice as he walked away from the room.

* * *

"…Maurice, you should be in bed resting. How did you get a nurse to bring you up here?"

There was a scoff, "Do you really think I'm gonna lay helpless in a hospital bed when my oldest boy is in Peds after a horrible experience?" John heard Bosco say calmly. "Did you call Sully and Yelina?"

Despite the fact that he was still feeling shaky, John opened his eyes and found that he was lying in a semi-upright position surrounded by blankets, IV's, and other machines, "Hey," he croaked softly as he saw that his mother was sitting in a chair by the bed while his father sat in a wheelchair next to her.

Danielle smiled, "Just take it easy, kiddo," she spoke softly. "You've had a rough day."

"Is Detective Messer okay?" John asked in a weak voice, wincing as he exhaled. "Ouch, that hurts."

Bosco sighed, "I don't know, but you scared the crap out of me, kiddo," he replied in a tired voice.

"You're gonna be here for a few days," Danielle spoke gently. "You've got screwy blood sugar, a bad forehead wound that needed stitches, shock, dehydration, broken ribs, and a broken foot."

John sighed, "I had to kill that guy," he spoke in a groggy voice. "He would have killed me…if I didn't."

"We know," Bosco spoke quietly, having been told by Danielle. "You did what you had to do, John."

Nodding, John forced his hand out from under the swath of blankets and both Bosco and Danielle grabbed it, "I wonder how many people saw that feed," he spoke nervously. "It was freaky and then that creepy Sackheim guy made Detective Flack record being at Coney Island and I just had to do it…"

"Relax," Danielle spoke softly, noting that John's hand was shaking. "You just need to relax."

Instead of relaxing, however, John painstakingly sat up, "Have…have you ever killed anyone in your job, Dad?" he asked in a trembling voice, feeling nauseous as he spoke. "It…you can't take it back."

Danielle quickly grabbed hold of John and sighed when he clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder as he cried. Bosco scooted closer and gently put a hand on John's arm to make him feel reassured.

After a few moments, John pulled away and sighed weakly, "I have," Bosco replied softly. "It's not something you can take back, but you come to understand that your action was necessary."

John nodded, "Am I allowed to eat or drink?" he asked quietly. "Even if it's something light?"

Before Danielle or Bosco could reply, Mac came into the room, "Detective Taylor," John said quietly.

"The media is calling you a hero," Mac spoke quietly. "You saved many people at the Crime Lab."

John frowned, "What about Detective Messer?" he asked weakly. "That leg wound was bad."

"Danny's okay," Mac reassured him. "He's in surgery, but I have heard he is stable."

John nodded, "I killed an FBI guy," he spoke quietly. "Am I going to be arrested?"

"No," Mac replied firmly. "Dennis Sackheim was wanted for other crimes before this happened."

Mac sighed, "I'm glad you're all right, but the lab was badly damaged and so it won't be useable for the rest of the semester," he explained calmly. "When you're well enough to go back to school, I'll make arrangements to use their labs for things. Once the lab's re-opened, though, I want you to take a break from the co-op for a while so you can focus on physically and emotionally recovering from this."

Deeply relieved, John nodded, "There will be time where you will have to report to the PD for interviews and discussions with the FBI about what happened, but that won't be for a while," Mac explained. "Danny will probably be off for a while and I'm also going to recommend Flack take some time."

John yawned softly, prompting Mac to smile, "Get some rest," he said kindly. "We'll talk soon."

Trusting that John would be all right, Mac silently went back down to the ER and was surprised to see Grissom kneeling next to a shaken Flack, who was sitting on the floor against a wall while nurses got a wheelchair and equipment, "Don?" Mac asked in a concerned voice. "Are you all right?"

"I just got a little shaky, Mac," Flack replied in a quiet voice. "I…Monroe's around here someplace…"

Mac frowned, "She's got the mother and grandson of that Juliana Morrison lady with her and Sergeant Davis of Anti-Crime," Flack said, sighing as nurses came over to get him. "She's at the desk."

At the mention of Juliana Morrison, Grissom silently wandered over to the desk, grateful that Stella had returned to Lindsey's side and told him to take a break. As he approached the desk, Grissom immediately recognized Juliana's mother from a picture that Juliana had kept on her desk, but he was surprised at the presence of the little boy; for some reason, the little boy looked a lot like Nick.

Adrienne's eyes widened slightly as she recognized Grissom from an old staff picture that Juliana had sent years ago, "Doctor Grissom," she said softly. "I wasn't aware you lived in New York now?"

"I still live in Las Vegas," Grissom replied calmly. "I'm just wondering, though; how did you…?"

Adrienne sighed, "Juliana sent a photo of all of you together years ago," she spoke softly. "I was told by Sergeant Davis and Detective Monroe that Juliana was involved in the shooting and badly hurt."

Grissom frowned, "Detective Flack mentioned that this is your grandson," he said in a kind voice, determined to find out who the child was and why he resembled Nick so much. "What's his name?"

"Parker Nicolas Stokes," Adrienne spoke softly. "Juliana wanted him to have his father's name…"

Grissom's eyes widened, "Juliana said she had assaulted Parker's father at the order of some rogue FBI agent and she became pregnant," Adrienne explained softly. "She never wanted Nick to know."

"Ma'am, my name is Detective Mac Taylor," Mac spoke up. "Your daughter is in critical condition."

Adrienne nodded and looked down at Parker, "And the idiot who involved her?" she asked softly.

"Dennis Sackheim is dead," Mac spoke quietly. "He was killed by our CSI Trainee, John Boscorelli."

Grissom sighed, "Doctor Grissom, do you still work with Nick, by chance?" Adrienne asked softly.

"Yes," Grissom replied, knowing that Nick had the right to know about the child Juliana had.

Adrienne sighed softly, "Please tell him about Parker," she spoke sadly. "He has the right to know."

Grissom nodded and headed to the phones; he had to phone Catherine first about Lindsey being alive and safe and then he had to make the very heartbreaking call to Nick about how he had a child.

* * *

 ** _Coconut Grove - Miami, Florida_**

"…Thank you, Gil," Catherine said in a relieved voice as she held her cell-phone to her ear while going into the house with Robert after their meal and chat. "Rick, Lenny, and I will come as soon as we can."

Deeply relieved to have Lindsey definitely alive and safe, Catherine put her phone in her pocket and went into the kitchen only to find that Robert was out in the garden and that Rick was chopping some vegetables and putting them into bags, "I assume that was Grissom?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"It's Lindsey," Catherine spoke in a quiet voice. "Look, Rick, you don't have to come if you don't want."

Rick sighed, "Lindsey is my daughter and I have missed her just as much as you and Lenny have," he replied in a quiet voice. "We both handled our grief in different ways and I know that all too well."

Catherine frowned, "You left and did some rather interesting things with your time when you weren't at the lab," Rick continued softly. "I know about what you did and your marriage to Eddie Willows before you met me. I'm happy you divorced him, but I'm not happy that you cheated on me with Warrick Brown after the kids were taken simply out of anger for how I handled the situation."

"You buried yourself in casino security," Catherine spoke anxiously. "How did you even know…?"

Rick gazed at Catherine, "Warrick Brown was a heavy gambler and he bragged about meeting a hot chick that he worked with and I figured it had to be you, so I packed my things and left," he replied. "I figured you needed space to grieve the way you wanted to and I needed space to grieve the way I needed to."

Catherine blinked and Rick gestured to a pile of papers on the table, "The soonest flight I could get for us all was tomorrow morning," Rick explained quietly. "Lenny is downstairs packing his things to go and Robert knows that we are going. He wishes us luck and asked me to visit his family's graves for him."

"Rick, I didn't love Warrick," Catherine spoke quietly. "Not like I loved you and still do."

Rick sighed and continued chopping in silence before setting the knife aside, "Warrick Brown is a criminal now and you have to understand that," he spoke quietly. "He's an accomplice to murder and he also helped carjack and kidnap a CSI named Calleigh Duquesne from Calle Ocho earlier and it's…"

"Calleigh was carjacked and kidnapped?" Catherine in a shocked voice as Robert came inside.

Rick nodded and Robert immediately went for the phone to get more information about it.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Hey there, interim supervisor," Nick said in a warm voice, grinning at Sara as he came into Grissom's office and saw a very pregnant Sara sitting behind Grissom's desk with the phone to her ear and a solemn, deeply surprised expression on her tired looking face. "You wanted to see me?"

Sara nodded, her expression neutral as she pressed the speaker phone, "He's here, Gil," she said softly.

" _Nick, I have something to tell you and I need you sitting down_ ," Grissom said in a worried voice.

Deeply confused, Nick sat across from Sara, "I'm sitting down, Gris," he replied in a worried voice.

" _Juliana Morrison was shot by Dennis Sackheim at some point after they took the New York Crime Lab hostage and she's currently in critical condition_ ," Grissom spoke in a solemn, heavy voice.

Nick frowned, but didn't say anything because he was sorry she met such trouble, but he was also relieved that she was out of his life, "When Juliana's mother came to the hospital to ask about her daughter, she was escorted there by an NYPD Sergeant and a CSI," Grissom spoke quietly. "She brought along a little boy that looks a lot like you, Nick. Adrienne said that his name is Parker Nicolas Stokes."

An uneasy silence filled the office as Sara's eyes widened and Nick's eyes filled with tears, "Parker is very nearly five years old and it seems that Adrienne and Juliana had a difference of opinion about whether or not you should know about Parker," Grissom spoke calmly. "Parker lives in Brooklyn with Adrienne, but I've convinced them to stay in Manhattan for the time being until we know what you want to do."

Nick froze, "Adrienne wants you to be able to meet Parker if you want to," Grissom continued softly.

"Juliana's had him for five years and what if she doesn't want me to see him?" Nick replied quietly.

Grissom sighed sadly, "The chances of Juliana surviving are not high and Adrienne has had primary custody of Parker since Dennis Sackheim moved in with Juliana," he replied softly. "It's your choice."

"There's not a choice," Nick replied softly. "I'll talk to Ecklie and see about getting out there…"

Grissom cleared his throat, "Adrienne wants to wait and see if Juliana makes it before you and Parker meet, but the chances are very, very low that she will," he replied quietly. "If Juliana doesn't make it, Adrienne has asked me to take her and Parker out there so you can meet in a happier environment."

"O…okay," Nick spoke in a trembling voice, tears filling his eyes. "Just…just let me know, okay?

Grissom sighed, "I will, Nick," he replied, feeling horrible for having to drop this bombshell.

As the call ended, Sara got up and moved around the desk to give a hug to her anxious friend.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	13. Measures of Trust

_**Two Days Later (February 16)**_

 _ **The Everglades, Florida**_

A cold breeze brushed across Calleigh's face, prompting her to wake and realize that she was lying in a bed while a note sat on the bedside table. Pain shot through her body and face as she slowly sat up, gazed around at the dusty furniture, and then focused her attention on the scraggly writing.

 _Calleigh,_

 _Derek didn't hurt you, but the other goons thought roughing you up would be amusing to do before they all left. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you, but I just couldn't. By the time you read this, we'll be long gone._

 _Warrick_

Swallowing hard, Calleigh felt her pockets and was surprised to find that her phone was still in her pocket, "Please let it be on," she said in a weak, anxious voice, her hand shaking as she got it out.

Seeing that the phone still had a charge, Calleigh dialed 9-1-1 and tried to block out the pain that was shooting through her battered body and face, "I…I need help," she said softly as Dispatch answered.

* * *

 ** _Angel of Mercy Hospital – New York_**

"She's grown, but doesn't look very healthy," Catherine spoke in an anxious voice as she, Rick, and Lenny lingered outside of the room where Lindsey was asleep in bed. "I wonder what…"

Rick sighed, "We are going to let Detective Emily Speedle talk to Lindsey when we return to Miami because she has training in psychology and we don't," he replied calmly. "Are you ready to see her?"

"I can't believe Grissom took off back to Vegas yesterday," Catherine replied anxiously. "He…"

Lenny gave his mother a worried look and Catherine sighed, "I think you had better wait out here with Lenny and I will go see Lindsey first," Rick spoke firmly. "Your anxiety will only make things harder."

Catherine scowled, but Rick silently went into the room and sat in a chair beside the bed, "Hey there, little princess, how are you?" Rick asked gently, not touching Lindsey because she might get scared.

Lindsey stirred, opened her eyes, and smiled when she saw her father, "Daddy!" she whispered, wincing as she reached for him because it put a strain on her healing ribs. "I knew you would come to get me!."

Quickly seeing that Lindsey was hurting from straining, Rick sat on the bed and put an arm around her, "Try not to strain your injuries," Rick spoke softly, smiling when Lindsey cuddled close to him. "Your mom and Lenny are here too; do you want me to tell them to come in here and say hello?"

Nodding, Lindsey watched as Catherine and Lenny came in, "Lindsey!" Lenny said in an excited voice.

Catherine, however, smiled and sat in the chair beside the bed, her eyes glistening with tears as she stared at the daughter she hadn't seen in years and had given up on ever seeing alive again.

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"This is a nice place," Horatio commented as he stood in the front foyer of the community center and family restaurant in Calle Ocho that Emily had created out of Club Cruz. "Very nice indoor playground."

Emily nodded, "Families deserve a place they can come and spend time with their kids without worrying about safety," she explained in a tired voice. "Calleigh being carjacked really scared a lot of people."

"The entire department is on alert," Horatio replied quietly. "I know that it frightened your kids."

Emily sighed, "The sound of gunshots did, yes," she said softly. "As if they had heard them before."

"Do you think they might have heard gunshots when Bernard held them hostage?" Horatio asked softly.

Swallowing hard, Emily silently folded her arms and looked at the floor, "Mama, puppy!" she suddenly heard excited voices squeal as the front doors opened. "Look at the cool brown puppy, Mama!"

Emily turned and looked surprised to see Tim come in holding a leash that had a brown puppy wearing a blue collar and sporting curly fur at the other end while James and Julliet walked on either side of him, "It's a therapy puppy," Tim explained at Emily's confused look. "What happened yesterday made my mom realize that the kids need something to make them feel safe and she pulled some strings…"

"What happened yesterday, Speed?" Horatio asked in a worried voice. "Is this why you called in?"

Tim sighed, "Julliet went and hid under the table and ended up having an accident and James ran and hid under the bed," he explained in a wary voice. "They cried for hours and we all tried to help them."

Emily sighed and watched the puppy toddle over to her, "It's a family therapy dog," Tim explained.

Nodding, Emily silently took a seat on a bench in the foyer, "What's it's name?" she asked kindly.

"We dunno yet, Mommy," Julliet spoke softly, petting the puppy. "What should we name it?"

Emily suddenly looked nervous, "Hey, James, Julliet, can you come and give Mommy a hug?" she asked softly, deeply shaken by Horatio's comment about Bernard. "I really missed you guys today."

Always eager to hug their mother, James and Julliet went and sat next to her, smiling as they cuddled close to her, "When is the baby gonna come out?" James asked quietly. "I wanna play with it."

"Oh, James, I know you guys do, but the baby's not gonna come until the summer," Emily replied in a tired voice, grateful for her children. "I think Grandpa and Uncle Tony made lunch for you two."

Suddenly, Horatio's phone went off, "Excuse me," he said anxiously. "I'll take this outside."

As Horatio left, Anthony came out of the kitchen carrying a tray that held paper plates filled with grilled cheese sandwiches and baby carrots, "Are my little grandkids hungry?" he asked in a kind voice.

"Grampa, look at the puppy," James said, ignoring the food. "It's gonna make us feel safe."

Anthony smiled at the puppy, "Is that what Grandma picked for you?" he asked in a kind voice.

Just then, the puppy whimpered, "Oh, he needs to go out," Tim said calmly. "I'll take him."

James looked like he wanted to follow, but Anthony put the food on a table nearby, "Go and eat," Emily spoke in a kind voice. "Papi Speedle, Tommy's at his classes this morning, so that's why he's not here."

Anthony nodded just as Horatio came back inside looking solemn, "Calleigh's alive," Horatio spoke softly as he approached Tim and Emily. "She phoned from a place in the Everglades and she's injured and alone. Eric wanted to respond, but I sent him back to the lab and sent Robert, Natalia, and Jesse."

"Because Delko's too close to her?" Tim asked quietly. "And how he'd react to seeing her hurt?"

Horatio nodded, "Will you let me know when Calleigh is taken to the hospital?" Emily asked softly.

Horatio looked surprised, as he was well aware of the trouble that Calleigh had caused Emily and her family due to her untreated PTSD, "Lieutenant, it is my job as the department psychologist to see to the psychological needs of the department. Officer Duquesne has been through something traumatic…"

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

The Crime Lab was quiet, as it was early morning and most the shift was out on cases, but Greg was there and silently working on a special welcome-home project for Jenny. He had pulled in a lot of overtime since being back on the payroll, but nobody seemed to mind since he was very skilled.

As Greg worked, Nick came into the break room after being unable to rest at his house and deciding to come in and work on paperwork, "Hey there, Greggo," Nick said in a kind voice. "Top secret project?"

"I can't work on it while Ecklie's here and if I work on it when Hodges or the other techs are here, they'll tell on me," Greg replied in an anxious voice. "Besides, I want it all ready for when Jenny comes back…"

Nick nodded, smiling as he approached and saw that the 'secret project' was an album of times Greg and Jenny had spent time together and it was coming along well, "I know she'll want to go back to Florida once Derek's found, so I thought I'd make her something to remember me by," Greg explained.

"I got a few photos for you while I was In Texas and I thought they could go in your project," Nick offered as he reached into his jacket and got a photo envelope out. "Jenny said you'd like em."

Greg smiled as footsteps echoed down the hallway, "Crap, someone's in early," he said anxiously, quickly packing his supplies into a duffel bag he kept hidden in his locker. "I should get to work."

Quickly stashing the supplies in his locker, Greg followed Nick out to the front to see who was there and both of them were surprised to see Warrick lingering at the desk looking extremely, thin, battered, and mentally out of it, "Warrick, man, what happened?" Nick asked in a concerned voice. "Are you all right?"

Warrick sighed heavily, but didn't say anything and coughed as Diego came into the foyer holding a gun, "What's the hold-up, Brown?" Diego hissed in an accented voice. "Stokes isn't doing that well."

Nick frowned at the mention of his brother, "You catch more flies with honey," Warrick said slowly.

"Oh, come on!" Diego hissed coldly, waving the gun. "I told you to get Nick Stokes and come out!"

Before Warrick could reply, a masked man came in and began firing and Nick swiftly got his firearm out, but Diego quickly disarmed him. Greg responded by bodyslamming Diego into the nearest wall and quickly hitting the crisis alarm that had been installed since the shooting several months ago.

The masked gunman swore and both him and Diego swiftly beat Greg into unconsciousness and ripped the keys from the pocket of his jeans, "You'd better look after your brother or this skinny wimp dies," Diego hissed as Greg was picked up from the floor. "I think we'll take this cargo out to the desert."

Nick and Warrick moved to stop them, but Diego belted Warrick in the stomach hard with his gun, "Tick-tock, Stokes," Diego hissed as he and the masked man dragged Greg out. "Time's slipping by."

Warrick gasped as he slumped to the floor with a hand on his bruised stomach, "It's a surface wound," he finally managed to say. "Your brother…he's sick. That's why I didn't escape when I could have…"

Nick frowned, "They kidnapped Calleigh and left her in some shack," Warrick breathed anxiously.

Warrick cringed as he slowly got to his feet with a hand on his stomach, "Greg's gonna die if you don't deal with your brother," he breathed as he staggered outside with Nick at his heels and gestured to a car with dirty windows that was parked nearby and running. "Derek's sitting in the back with his supplies…"

Nick's eyes widened as Warrick pulled out a gun, "Warrick," he said anxiously. "What are you doing?"

Warrick sighed as sirens could be heard in the distance, "Go," he hissed. "Or you might get hurt."

Stunned that Warrick seemed to be against him, Nick got into the car and Warrick got behind the wheel just as several police cars and CSI Hummers pulled up, having been alerted by the signal to the crisis alarm. Grissom, Sara, Brass, and other lab techs and CSI's watched in horror as Warrick floored it and sped off away from the Crime Lab with Nick as a hostage. _What was Warrick doing?_ Sara wondered.

* * *

 ** _The Everglades, Florida_**

"…Calleigh?"

The feel of latex prompted Calleigh, who was sore from being beaten and still groggy from whatever she had been given, to slowly wake and gaze at Natalia before seeing Robert and Jesse in the background along with uniformed police officers and heavily equipped paramedics. "Can…can you sit up?"

Calleigh sighed groggily, wincing as she slowly sat up, "Everywhere hurts," she whispered softly.

Natalia nodded, sighing when Calleigh doubled over in pain, "The paramedics want to look at you," Robert spoke softly as he approached the bed. "They are female, given the situation."

Calleigh nodded, but didn't say anything as the paramedics approached her with supplies and a gurney, "There's…there's something you should know," she spoke shakily. "Derek…he's really, really ill…"

Natalia frowned, but moved so paramedics could help Calleigh, "He had medication and diabetes needles on him," Calleigh managed to say as she was moved to the gurney. "He didn't hurt me…"

It was then that Jesse noticed the note on the bedside table and collected it with a gloved hand, "Looks like that Warrick guy that Ryan was friends with was involved in hurting you," he said in a quiet voice.

Tears filled Calleigh's eyes, "Don't give her anything for pain because it's very obvious that there are drugs already in her system," Robert spoke firmly, gazing at the paramedics. "Just put her on oxygen."

Natalia and Jesse gave Robert surprised looks, but Robert ignored both of them and silently got to work taking pictures of Calleigh's visible injuries and the scene itself. Once he had taken photos of Calleigh's injuries, he spoke softly to the paramedics and then allowed them to take Calleigh out of the room.

"Natalia, Jesse, I think someone should go to the hospital and take photos of the other injuries and get Calleigh's clothing," Robert spoke quietly. "I know I'm the new guy, but I'd rather not be here."

Instead of asking questions or getting angry, Natalia nodded, "Okay," she replied in a gentle voice.

Nodding, Robert silently gathered his CSI kit and left, "He's usually not like that at crime scenes," Jesse commented in a concerned voice. "We're all affected by this, but we have to still do our jobs…"

"I don't think we need to be questioning Detective Caine's ability to do his job right now," Natalia spoke firmly, wondering if seeing Calleigh had triggered memories in Robert. "We're fine with what we have."

Jesse nodded, but his mind was on how the mess reminded him of when his wife was murdered.

* * *

 _ **Angel of Mercy Hospital – New York, New York**_

The sight of John asleep in bed prompted Mac to smile as he came into the quiet hospital room and saw that Yelina was also there, "Detective Taylor, hello," Yelina said warmly. "It's very good to see you."

Mac smiled, "Most of the Crime Lab has been by in the last couple of days, but I heard that Detective Flack wasn't allowed?" Yelina asked in a confused voice. "Is he in trouble over what happened?"

"Flack's on leave during the investigation, but nobody ever said he wasn't allowed to visit," Mac replied, deeply concerned about Flack because he had been in hiding since the whole hostage situation.

Yelina nodded, but didn't say anything because she wondered why Flack hadn't come by despite John wondering if he was all right, "Is John up for a discussion?" Mac asked in a quiet, concerned voice.

"John's a bit tired from his visit to Detective Messer earlier, but I think he'd be okay to talk," Yelina replied as she gently nudged John's arm. "John, Detective Taylor is here to speak with you."

John stirred and gazed at Mac tiredly, "Hello, sir," he spoke softly. "How are you doing?"

"I should be asking you that," Mac replied in a kind voice. "You're looking a little better."

John nodded and sighed, choosing not to comment, "Is Detective Flack okay?" he finally asked softly. "I've seen Detective Messer cause he's come to visit, but I haven't seen Detective Flack at all."

Mac suddenly felt concerned, "I'm sure he is," he replied reassuringly, making a mental note to go by Flack's place after he was done at the hospital. "Once you're well enough, the NYPD and the FBI want to talk to you about what happened. It's standard procedure and you do have the right to say no…"

"Sir, talking about things makes them better," John replied quietly. "I'll go ahead with it."

Yelina looked impressed and Mac nodded, "When I get information about when the meetings are happening, I'll be sure to visit you and your parents," Mac said. "I'm sure you'll want them there."

John nodded and sighed, clearly ready for a rest, "The news has been reporting on it a lot," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I haven't seen any reporters here, though, and I'm sure they know I'm here right now."

"Your father threatened to shoot their cameras if they bothered you before you were ready to talk," Yelina explained, a slight hint of amusement in her voice. "Even with cancer, he is still a good shot."

Mac couldn't help but grin and chuckle at that, deeply relieved that John had very good parents.

* * *

 _ **Calle Ocho – Miami, Florida**_

Silence greeted Horatio as he stood at Ryan's apartment door, concerned as to why the young CSI wasn't responding to the knocking. He knew Ryan had heard about Calleigh's abduction and hadn't been seen or heard from since. Both Tim and Emily were worried and wanted to go visit him, but Horatio had promised to check things out himself because he too was worried about the slowly recovering Ryan.

Quiet sniffling filled the apartment, followed by sounds of retching and Horatio frowned before trying the doorknob, "Who's there?" he heard a quiet voice ask as there was movement. "Hello?"

Horatio sighed as the door opened and Ryan stood there in sleep pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and messy hair while slippers were on his feet, "Horatio?" Ryan asked groggily. "What are you doing here?"

"Nobody has heard from you since you found out about Calleigh and we are all concerned," Horatio explained in a quiet, concerned voice. "You look as if you haven't slept or eaten in a few days."

Ryan sighed, "I just feel bad that I couldn't help with any information," he replied groggily. "I had detectives and officers over here because they thought I'd know where Calleigh might be and who might have her. I told them I can't remember anything, but they said I was hindering their investigation on purpose because Calleigh wrote negative reports about me. My resignation letter's on my computer."

Horatio frowned, "I don't think a resignation is necessary, but what do you mean you had police over here questioning you about Calleigh?" he asked quietly. "And how come you didn't say anything?"

"Calleigh's missing and it's not about me," Ryan spoke shakily. "I was friends with Warrick and the PD doesn't trust me right now because of that. I don't know who I can ask for help with my anxiety…"

Horatio nodded, frowning as he noticed that Ryan's normally neat apartment was a mess and that Ryan didn't look well, "Mister Wolfe, have you had any chemo sessions recently?" he asked gently.

"Yesterday," Ryan spoke shakily. "Right after Calleigh went missing, cops showed up at my door and asked if I had information because she was missing and I've just been a bit of a mess since then."

Horatio sighed, as he had been informed that police had been over to Ryan's and hadn't agreed with that decision, but he had been overruled, "I'm not feeling up to company," Ryan spoke shakily. "Just tell Tim and Emily that I'm alive and they won't worry. I just need to hide until Calleigh's found…."

"Calleigh was found at a house in the Everglades, Ryan," Horatio spoke quietly. "She is alive."

Ryan frowned, but didn't say anything, "I sent Jesse, Robert, and Natalia out there to process Calleigh and the scene," Horatio spoke quietly. "Since you had chemo yesterday, you should get some rest."

Sighing, Ryan retreated from the doorway and Horatio watched as he sat on a makeshift bed that was on the couch just as his phone went off, "Ryan Wolfe," Ryan said, taking the phone off of the table.

"…Ryan…" Greg's faint voice came through the phone. "I'm…I'm in a trunk somewhere…"

Horatio frowned, "Greg?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice. "You're still in Las Vegas, right?"

"…Some guys threw me in a trunk and Warrick has a gun to Nick," Greg spoke anxiously. "Ryan, please, Warrick said that Derek is sick and I don't know why I was taken, but I was beat up and…oh…no…."

There was cursing, "Oh, ho!" a voice hissed. "He called Ryan Wolfe in Miami, Diego!"

"…Dump him in the desert…" a voice hissed. "We're near a station named Shakey's, I think, so we can fill up on the way out. We'll tear out of here and leave that whiny Derek to the mercy of his brother…."

Ryan's eyes widened as a shot suddenly went off, "HE TOOK OFF WITH THE GUN!" a voice shouted.

There was a soft thump, swearing, and the squealing of tires, "Greg?!" Ryan spoke anxiously.

"…I have to run," Greg's voice spoke breathlessly. "I have a phone and a gun…I'm alone…"

Ryan swallowed hard as he heard footsteps, "Stay on the phone, Greg!" he said anxiously. "Okay?"

Silently horrified over what was happening, Horatio got his cell-phone out and called Las Vegas.

* * *

 _ **Nevada**_

"…Warrick, man, what are you doing?" Nick said in an anxious voice as he looked at his friend briefly while driving down a road that was far from the freeway. "Why are you holding me hostage?"

There was faint coughing from the back, "Pull over," Warrick spoke anxiously. "Now."

Deeply confused, Nick pulled over and turned around, shocked when he saw Derek laying in the backseat with his eyes closed and his hands rubbing his pale face, "He's diabetic and bad blood sugar triggers mental illness in him," Warrick spoke quietly. "Those guys saw him as a liability."

"Warrick, you're wanted in two states," Nick pled softly. "Dude, you gotta go turn yourself in."

Warrick frowned, but said nothing, "Where are we?" Nick asked as he silently looked Derek over.

Just then, Derek whimpered and it was then that Nick noticed a bloodstain on Derek's sweatshirt, "I shot him so those guys would let me go," Warrick spoke softly. "It's not a bad wound. The hospital will…"

"Screw you, man," Derek mumbled in a weak voice. "Why don't you just get out and leave me to die?"

Nick frowned, got out of the front seat, and opened the back door, "Let me see," he spoke gently.

"Nicky?" Derek spoke in a groggy, pained voice. "Oh, Nicky, I can't believe they got you too."

Warrick suddenly lunged at Nick, but Nick was ready for him and quickly slammed Warrick into the side of the car, sending his colleague to the ground unconscious, "I'll take you somewhere safe," Nick promised as he closed the door and got back behind the wheel. "Just hang in there, okay Derek?"

"…The cops are gonna shoot me like that guy did," Derek spoke weakly. "I'm so, so sorry…"

Swallowing hard, Nick continued to drive into the unknown, hoping he could get Derek some help.

* * *

 ** _Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York_**

"I don't wanna stay in the hospital," Lindsey said in a quiet voice as she sat in bed after being held by both her parents and Lenny. "Daddy said we live in Miami with Uncle Bobby. Is he nice?"

Catherine sighed; she didn't know if Robert would let them live with him and his sons because he was going to be getting married in the spring. She also could feel Lindsey's reluctance to spend more time with her than absolutely necessary, but Lenny had said he was hungry and had wanted Rick to take him to get him and Lindsey some food, "I don't know," she finally replied softly. "It depends on a lot…"

"Can you ask Miss Stella or Mister Carlos when I can go home?" Lindsey asked softly. "Please?"

Catherine looked towards the window and saw that Stella was talking with a dark-haired woman that was dressed like most FBI agents would dress. All of a sudden, Stella came into the hospital room and the dark-haired woman walked off, "How are you doing, Lindsey?" she asked in a kind voice.

"I wanna go home with my family," Lindsey replied quietly. "I don't like being here."

Stella smiled, "When you're allowed to fly, you can go home," she replied gently.

Catherine's phone suddenly went off and she answered it, "Catherine," she said in a calm voice.

" _Catherine, some guys took Greg and Nick_ ," Grissom spoke anxiously. " _I need you at the lab_."

Catherine frowned, "Gil, I'm in New York with Lindsey," she replied firmly. "I can't get there."

" _We think that Dennis Sackheim's friends got tired of Derek Stokes and beat him up before they made Nick take care of him, but Warrick made them take off," Grissom spoke solemnly. "The security footage showed Nick and Greg being taken in separate vehicles. I could really use your help out here."_

Catherine sighed, "I can't just leave Lindsey, Rick, and Lenny, Gil," she replied firmly. "I can't."

* * *

 ** _Miami, Florida_**

Anxious chatter filled the emergency room as doctors and nurses worked on Calleigh in a trauma room while Robert stood in the hallway, silently watching the process. He couldn't help but think back to his own abduction and the kidnapping of his daughter; he could still remember how uncomfortable his 'prison' had been and he wondered if his daughter had gone through something much worse.

Sighing softly, Robert turned away and found himself studying a bulletin board that held different fliers explaining what resources the hospital had. He was particularly interested in a list that outlined the counseling services and knew that he needed to look into individual counseling for himself later.

"Detective Caine, here are Calleigh Duquesne's clothes," a gentle voice suddenly said.

Robert turned and saw a nurse in pink scrubs standing there with a bag containing Calleigh's clothes and personal effects, "Oh, thank you," he replied in a calm voice. "Can you tell me how she is?"

"Miss Duquesne actually wishes to speak with you," the nurse spoke in a quiet voice.

Nodding, Robert followed the nurse into the trauma room and saw that the doctors and nurses seemed to be preparing to move Calleigh, who was on the gurney covered by a gown and blanket, "Hi," Calleigh spoke in a weak voice, gazing at Robert through tired eyes. "I heard you followed me here?"

"Yes, ma'am, I did," Robert replied in a quiet, respectful voice. "How are you feeling?"

Calleigh sighed weakly, "Do you have your kit with you?" she asked in a faint voice.

Robert nodded silently, "You need to take pictures of my injuries while they are still fresh," Calleigh spoke in a weak voice, her eyes filled with sorrow. "One of the nurses collected a rape kit and…"

"I can call another CSI to come do this if you're uncomfortable," Robert spoke in a kind voice.

Calleigh sighed again, "Detective Caine, I don't remember what happened, but I know that I trust you and I'd like you to do it because I know you'll keep your wits," she spoke weakly. "Please, do it for me."

Deeply gratified that Calleigh trusted him, Robert gloved up, opened his kit, and silently went about taking photos of all of her injuries and processing her. When he was finished, he repacked the kit and silently stepped back, "I'm having surgery," Calleigh spoke in a tired voice. "Thank you for doing that."

Robert nodded, "Can you please call my dad and tell Eric I'm okay?" Calleigh spoke, her voice fading.

"Okay, Detective, it's time to go," one of the doctors said. "Calleigh needs surgery."

Nodding, Robert silently took his kit from the room and didn't stop walking until he was behind the wheel of his truck with the kit stored in the backseat. He silently buckled up and began to drive.

Soon enough, Robert was back at the MDPD properties and was shocked to see Eric pacing the hallway near the lab foyer, "How's Calleigh?" Eric asked anxiously. "Horatio wouldn't let me take the call."

"Calleigh told me to tell you that she is okay," Robert replied softly. "She's getting very good care."

Eric scowled, "She was missing for two days," he snapped. "You and I both know that she isn't."

"Eric, I need to log these things into evidence and you need to go do something to calm down," Robert spoke in a fatherly voice that he reserved for when his boys were naughty. "My uncle didn't want you responding to the situation with Calleigh because you would let your emotions get in the way."

Eric paused and nodded, as he knew his colleague was right, "I've got to log this evidence," Robert spoke calmly, shocked that he was reprimanding a superior. "Get a snack from the lounge and take a breath."

Without waiting for a response, Robert carried the evidence to a processing room and silently got to work unpacking and logging it. Once that was done, he laid it out neatly for Tim to process when he came in for his shift, as Tim worked Trace and appreciated when his things were ready for him.

Sighing, Robert silently went to the AV Lab and uploaded the photos he took of Calleigh's injuries; it was still early enough that the techs weren't in yet and the evidence needed to be given top priority.

Tears filled Robert's eyes as the photos uploaded and he couldn't help but have a quiet cry over the memories that the images triggered. He had lost so much and the reminders were never very far away.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

" _Ryan Wolfe," Ryan said, taking the phone off of the table._

"… _Ryan…" Greg's faint voice came through the phone. "I'm…I'm in a trunk somewhere…"_

 _Horatio frowned, "Greg?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice. "You're still in Las Vegas, right?"_

"… _Some guys threw me in a trunk and Warrick has a gun to Nick," Greg spoke anxiously. "Ryan, please, Warrick said that Derek is sick and I don't know why I was taken, but I was beat up and…oh…no…."_

 _There was cursing, "Oh, ho!" a voice hissed. "He called Ryan Wolfe in Miami, Diego!"_

"… _Dump him in the desert…" a voice hissed. "We're near a station named Shakey's, I think, so we can fill up on the way out. We'll tear out of here and leave that whiny Derek to the mercy of his brother…."_

 _Ryan's eyes widened as a shot suddenly went off, "HE TOOK OFF WITH THE GUN!" a voice shouted._

 _There was a soft thump, swearing, and the squealing of tires, "Greg?!" Ryan spoke anxiously._

"… _I have to run," Greg's voice spoke breathlessly. "I have a phone and a gun…I'm alone…"_

 _Ryan swallowed hard as he heard footsteps, "Stay on the phone, Greg!" he said anxiously. "Okay?"_

Sara frowned and glanced at Grissom, who was silently listening to the recording along with Brass, Sofia, Hodges, Archie, Wendy, and several other techs and CSI's who had been pulled into work, " _That's all we were able to get_ ," Horatio's voice came over Grissom's speaker. " _Ryan hasn't gotten off the phone_."

"Shakey's is a fair jump from here," Brass mused softly. "If they took Greg there and there was a shot…"

Sara sighed heavily, her hands resting on her large stomach, "They might take Greg's hearing aids just to put him at a disadvantage," she spoke softly just as Ecklie came into the room. "If Greg is there…"

"There is a warrant out for Warrick Brown's arrest as of now," Ecklie snapped. "If he's found, he is to be arrested, processed, and treated as a suspect. I saw what the outside camera's recorded, Gil."

Grissom nodded, his expression grim, "Is Catherine coming?" Ecklie asked in a stern voice.

"She, Rick, and Lenny are up in New York with Lindsey," Grissom replied in a worried voice.

Ecklie sighed, but nodded, "Greg called Ryan Wolfe for help," Grissom continued anxiously.

" _I honestly can't remember anyone named Diego or anyone else, H_ ," Ryan's voice spoke softly.

Ecklie frowned and everyone else in the office went quiet, all of them quickly remembering that Ryan had suffered permanent damage at the hands of those who now had Greg, "I'd like to talk to Ryan privately for a moment, if I may," Sofia spoke up softly, feeling bad that Ryan felt guilty over Greg.

"Sara, I'm going out to the part of the desert that's near Shakey's station," Grissom spoke as the group left the office to let Sofia talk to Ryan privately. "I want you to stay here and see if you can find out where Nick and Derek might be going with the footage we have. It's not much, but can you try?"

Sara nodded, too shaken by the audio of Greg pleading for help to offer any sort of reply.

* * *

The sight of a seedy looking motel, a tiny service station, and a large store that had food and a pharmacy prompted Nick to feel slight relief. He and Derek were in the middle of nowhere and it wasn't ideal, but he knew that Derek needed help and didn't fully trust that Warrick or the LVPD would treat him fairly.

"Nicky…" Derek spoke from the backseat in a weak voice. "Nicky…please…I'm so sick…please."

Nick sighed as he pulled up to the motel and made sure Derek was comfortable before he turned the car off and went inside. There was a wiry man at the desk watching a small TV while writing in a ledger who looked up at him, deeply confused, "Whaddya want?" he asked in a thick accent. "A room?"

"Your best room," Nick replied as he pulled out a wad of cash. "I also want some privacy."

The man grinned and chuckled impishly, but pushed a book towards Nick, "Sign here," he said.

Not wanting to give himself or Derek away to a person he didn't know or trust, Nick signed himself in as Nicolas Parker, "Room 15," the man said, handing Nick a key. "We don't serve breakfast, you know."

Shrugging, Nick silently left the office and returned to the car, quickly moving it to Room 15, "Insulin," Derek spoke in a weak voice, struggling to wake up. "Nicky, please, if you're not killing me…I need it."

Nick frowned, quickly realizing that Derek was diabetic and had probably stolen things to buy medicine for himself, "I got us a room and I want you to rest in bed while I get it," he said gently. "Okay?"

Derek mumbled incoherently as Nick helped him out of the car and got them both into the hotel room, "Take the bed closest to the bathroom," Nick said gently, helping Derek into bed. "Just relax for me."

Anxious to help now that he knew how to help, Nick hurried outside and emptied the car of all the medical supplies and stashed them in the room before locking Derek in and jogging down to the store to get food and supplies from the pharmacy. The store was quiet and the lack of shoppers allowed Nick to get a cart and fill it with food, clean clothes from the clothing section for both of them, and toiletries, first aid supplies, pain medicine, and diabetic supplies from the pharmacy section to get Derek healthy.

Once he was satisfied with the amount of supplies he had, Nick pushed his cart up to the counter and saw a bored looking clerk manning the till. He silently got his credit card out and ran it through, nodding curtly to the clerk as he was handed his receipt to sign. With a sigh, he silently signed the receipt.

Nick quietly gathered his purchases and hightailed it back to the motel before the clerk read the name on the receipt and figured out who he was. Once he enclosed himself back inside the room, he heard water running and saw that Derek had managed to get to the bathroom and was sitting on the toilet.

"I got supplies," Nick spoke quietly, worried about how pale and shaky Derek seemed. "What's up?"

Derek sighed and mumbled something about feeling grungy, but it was obvious to Nick that a low blood sugar was the real issue, "How about you have something to eat and then I help you have a bath?" Nick suggested, deeply concerned because Derek's eyes were closed. "This place has a little kitchen."

"How…how much?" Derek managed to say. "I don't like stealing, but I have to pay you back."

Nick sighed, "How about I get you into some clean clothes and back to bed?" he asked gently.

Derek reluctantly allowed Nick to undress him and examine the wound that Warrick had left with a gun, "Warrick doesn't seem to have done any major damage that I can see, but I'm not a doctor," Nick spoke.

"My ribs hurt," Derek spoke in a faint voice, shivering as he sat there with his eyes closed from fatigue.

Sighing, Nick went into the other room and as he was gathering clothes and first aid supplies, he silently got his phone out of his pocket. He fired off a quick text to Grissom saying he was all right, but at a motel in the middle of nowhere with Derek, who was sick due to diabetes and seriously injured.

Not expecting a reply, Nick put the phone back in his pocket and returned to the bathroom with the supplies. He gently cleaned the gunshot wound and bandaged it, wondering where the bullet got to because it was a through and through. Derek let out a hiss of pain, but didn't try to stop him.

Nick gently cleaned the other wounds and then dressed Derek in a clean pair of underwear, clean sweats, and a clean sweatshirt. He then helped his brother get back into the bed near the bathroom.

Derek mumbled incoherently, but relaxed enough that Nick took the groceries over to the kitchenette and quickly put some chicken on the stove in a pan he found in one of the cupboards. He then quietly put a salad together and some peanut butter sandwiches; it wasn't ideal, but it would be enough.

As the chicken cooked, Nick silently felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Quickly turning around to make sure that Derek was still asleep, Nick quietly got the phone out of his pocket and ended up smiling.

 _Nick, I got your message and Derek being diabetic might explain a lot of the things he's done, but we'll worry about that later. Do what you can to keep your brother alive and I'll talk to Ecklie and your parents about arranging possible leniency for Derek based on the circumstances. I'll have Archie ping your phone and we'll arrange a way to come assess the situation without harming either of you. Just hang in there and do what you can to make the best of the situation with what you have. – Grissom_

Sighing anxiously, Nick put the phone away and silently hoped that help would come very soon.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	14. Head to Head

_**Three Days Later**_

 _ **Miami-Dade Memorial Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

The sight of Ryan lingering in the hallway outside of her hospital room surprised Calleigh, but she felt at ease because he understood what it was like not being able to remember things. Her father hadn't left her side since she had endured surgery for a broken leg, pneumothoraxes, and internal injuries, but she knew he was exhausted and needed a break, "Ryan?" she called out as loudly as her throat would allow.

Ryan silently entered the hospital room and saw that Kenwall was asleep on a couch near the window and Calleigh sighed, "I know I should have called, but I feel like it's my fault it took time to find you cause I couldn't remember who took me," he apologized softly. "I think they were the same people."

Calleigh nodded, "I can tell you who was where I was taken, but I can't tell you what they did," she spoke in a tired voice as Ryan sat near the bed. "Detective Caine processed me when I was brought in."

"I wish I could remember and help the PD catch the guys who did this," Ryan spoke softly.

Calleigh gave Ryan a kind look, "I can understand how frustrated you are, Ryan, but we can't make ourselves remember what happened to us, so we just need to focus on recovering," she spoke in a tired voice. "I'm sorry I treated you the way I did. I just hope there won't be any hard feelings."

Ryan shook his head, "No," he replied softly. "Greg Sanders, do you remember him?"

Calleigh nodded, but didn't say anything, "Greg called me three days ago and said he was in the desert, so I think he was taken by whoever hurt you," Ryan spoke quietly. "Was…Warrick at wherever….?"

"Warrick left a note and that's the first thing I remember seeing," Calleigh spoke in a tired voice.

Ryan nodded, his expression grim as Calleigh sighed and closed her eyes, thoroughly exhausted from a simple conversation. It was then that he noticed Kenwall had left , having noticed that Calleigh was safe and with a friend. Figuring nobody would miss him for a while, Ryan silently made himself comfortable.

* * *

 _ **Nevada Desert**_

"Two dead, tire treads all over the place, and what looks like footsteps going off in this direction," Grissom said as he eyed the footprints that went off into the desert. "These could be Greg's."

Brass sighed heavily, "Gil, it's been three days," he replied softly. "You might just find a body."

Sofia, meanwhile, was looking at the ground with a flashlight and she suddenly noticed two small devices, "What are these?" she asked, kneeling next to the items. "These could be a clue."

"Those are Greg's hearing aids," Grissom replied, recognizing the devices. "His hearing's…"

Sofia frowned and Grissom hurried over to a rescue truck that was parked nearby, "I'm taking this and following the footprints," he said in an anxious voice. "Process the evidence that's here."

* * *

 ** _Las Vegas Crime Lab_**

Sighing softly, Sara gently rubbed her large stomach as she sat in the chair behind Grissom's desk as part of her assignment as temporary head while he was looking for Greg. Several lab techs had popped in to check on her and she had made conversation, but all she wanted to do was go home and rest.

"Sara, do you have a moment?" Ecklie asked as he came into Grissom's office and saw her there.

Sara nodded, "Judge and Mrs. Stokes flew in this morning and they came to the Crime Lab for an update on what is going on with their sons," Ecklie spoke quietly. "Since Grissom isn't here, would you…?"

"We don't have a lot of information other than the text Nick sent Grissom," Sara replied softly.

Before Ecklie could reply, Judge Stokes and his wife came into view, "Ah, Judge Stokes and Mrs. Stokes," Ecklie said in a diplomatic voice. "This is Sara, she's watching over things while Grissom's on a case."

"When Doctor Grissom called us, he told us information that Nicolas had shared," Judge Stokes spoke in a quiet, but concerned voice as he and his wife entered the office. "Nicolas wouldn't lie about it."

Sara sighed and Ecklie looked worried, "I would like to know all the people who Derek has stolen from and I will personally reimburse them," Judge Stokes spoke. "That includes Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

"That is very generous of you, Your Honor," Sara replied in a tired, worried voice.

Ecklie sighed, "Stealing is quite wrong, but I take responsibility for Derek's need to do it because I didn't notice his health problems when I had the opportunity to," Judge Stokes spoke quietly. "I assumed Derek was getting into trouble and I reacted badly. May I use the phone to notify Lieutenant Caine?"

Too stunned to speak, Sara nodded and moved out of the way so the phone was accessible.

* * *

 ** _Nevada Desert_**

Blood mixed with sand caused Grissom's heart to race, but he kept following the trail as fast as the paramedics could drive the rescue truck. He knew that three days in could kill just about anyone, but Greg was extraordinary and he knew that the young man would fight to live no matter what.

A shot suddenly rang out, "Drive in the direction of the shot!" Grissom shouted anxiously.

The truck turned and Grissom squinted, his eyes widening when he saw two figures in the distance; one lying on the sand with blood pooling underneath him while the other was staggering further into the desert with one arm hanging limply, "Stop at the body!" Grissom ordered, his anxiety rising.

When the truck stopped at the body, Grissom could quickly see that it wasn't Greg and so he hopped off the truck and dashed towards the other individual, "GREG!" he shouted as loud as he could. "GREG!"

When Greg didn't stop, however, Grissom ran ahead and planted himself in front of the younger man, "Greg," he said in an anxious voice, appalled at the amount of blood, bruises, and sunburn on Greg's face and neck as he reached for him and saw a gun in Greg's right hand. "Greg, give me the gun."

"Diego…he followed me…," Greg spoke, his hand shaking as he offered the gun. "I…I had to shoot…"

Nodding, Grissom took the gun with a sleeve and waved at the rescue truck with his free hand as Greg burst into tears and dropped to his knees, "I…hurt," Greg wheezed, his voice hoarse. "Help…"

Quickly putting the safety on, Grissom slid the gun into his jacket pocket and knelt down in front of Greg, "Just take slow breaths, Greg," he said in a calm voice as the rescue truck approached them.

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab – Miami, Florida**_

 _Detective Speedle,_

 _I know it's short notice, but can we arrange for you to talk to John on Skype about what happened between him and Dennis Sackheim? You are the only counselor that John seems to trust._

 _Danielle Boscorelli_

Sighing tiredly, Emily typed a quick reply that she would be happy to arrange that for John and then she leaned back in her chair and gently rubbed her growing stomach, "I'm excited for you to come and meet the big family you have," she spoke gently. "I didn't think I could have anymore after the twins."

A gentle kick was the response Emily got and as she sat there smiling, there was a knock at her door and it opened to reveal Horatio, "Detective, I was wondering if I could schedule an appointment?" Horatio asked, his tone of voice filled with enough distress that it concerned Emily. "What's your schedule?"

"I have time right now, sir," Emily replied in a concerned voice. "Why don't you have a seat?"

Nodding, Horatio silently closed the door and sat on the couch, "I was in my office working on paperwork when I got a call from Judge Stokes," he explained in a quiet voice. "It seems that there is evidence that Derek Stokes is diabetic and was stealing to pay for medicine. The judge has offered to reimburse everyone Derek stole from, including me. I'm not sure how to react to such an offer."

Emily looked thoughtful as she sat up, "Nick Stokes texted Doctor Grissom and Doctor Grissom called Nick and Derek's parents about it," Horatio spoke quietly. "It's possible that low blood sugar triggers violent, manic behavior in Derek like it does for Tony Speedle and I'm feeling very conflicted."

"Horatio, you almost died that night," Emily replied softly. "Are you still staying at the Hyatt?"

Horatio nodded, "I'm sure Robert knows I lied to him about having the house repaired so I could move back home, but he hasn't brought it up yet," he said in a quiet voice. "I don't feel safe at that house anymore, but I haven't the heart to let it go. Staying at the Hyatt Regency is easier for now."

"How are your nightmares?" Emily asked softly. "I'm sure hearing from Judge Stokes didn't help…"

Horatio sighed, "I get a limited amount of sleep, but I do feel quite bad hearing that Derek Stokes was probably not aware of what he was doing because his blood sugar was low," he replied softly. "I spend a lot of time awake and swilling tea because I always dream that I'm being buried after being killed."

Emily nodded, choosing not to comment so that Horatio could speak freely, "I don't want to be a burden on my nephew or on anyone," Horatio spoke quietly. "You are the only one who knows my situation."

"I think you need to be honest with your nephew," Emily spoke firmly. "He understands trauma."

Horatio looked thoughtful, "You shouldn't be alone in whatever you're feeling," Emily spoke softly.

Just then, Horatio's phone rang and he answered it, "Horatio," he said in a quiet voice.

There was quiet talking and Horatio sighed, "Thank you," he replied softly. "Good bye."

Horatio silently studied Emily briefly, "I just got a call from Doctor Grissom in Las Vegas and the Las Vegas police have found Greg Sanders alive," he spoke softly. "Nick Stokes is still missing…"

Emily nodded, "I'm concerned that Ryan is still feeling guilty over what happened and I do feel bad that I haven't been much of a help to his recovery," Horatio spoke quietly. "I am not a very good person."

"Horatio, you can't be everything for everyone," Emily spoke quietly, giving him a smile. "It would be very nice if you had infinite strength and energy, but even you get tired now and then. You have been a good support to Ryan and he has admitted as much. You have been a wonderful support to everyone."

Horatio offered a tiny smile, "As for Judge Stokes's offer to reimburse you due to the circumstances, that is completely up to you and you don't have to respond right away," Emily spoke softly. "Take some time to think about it and if you accept the offer, you don't even have to use the money for yourself."

"I think I will do that," Horatio replied, feeling considerably calmer as he stood. "Thank you."

As Horatio left her office, Emily's phone buzzed and she looked down at it, deeply curious.

 _Miss Wolfe, can we talk somewhere private? I need your help finding my boy. – Ray Caine._

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

Cold air blew across John's face as he sat on a garden box that was on the roof, his housecoat, shoe, surgical boot, and coat providing him with warmth. He had been released from the hospital with orders to rest and NYU had allowed him to do schooling from home given the circumstances of what happened.

Life had gone on; David and Ellie had gone back to school, their father had continued his chemo and was doing the occasional bit of online work from home, their mother had taken some leave to spend time with their father, him, Michael, and Emily; and their grandparents were focused on raising Nicolas while doing occasional work for Victims Assistance and NYU. The Crime Lab was also being rebuilt.

Despite spending most of his time at home, John had Mac, Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, and Stella visit him on a regular basis, but Flack hadn't even made an attempt to contact him. Carlos had also brought Tommy and Kylie up to visit during the day and was currently looking into some sort of work he could do with his FDNY experience because Mac's words about his abilities had made an impact on him and Holly was very supportive of whatever he wanted to do. John had also gotten phone calls from reporters wanting interviews, but his parents had told him he could handle those when he was ready to.

Nighttime, however, was proving difficult because he still had nightmares about what happened and the lack of sleep screwed up his blood sugar. It was early morning, but John just needed space.

A deep sigh filled the air, "So this is where you got to," John suddenly heard his grandfather say.

John turned just in time to see his grandfather come on to the roof wearing a coat and shoes over his housecoat and pajamas, "Yelina got up to feed Nicolas and she saw you come up here, so she woke me up," Sully explained in a concerned voice. "Your parents and siblings didn't hear you come up here."

"I just needed some space, Grandpa," John spoke softly. "Am…am I a monster?"

Sully frowned, "No, you're not a monster," he replied as he walked over to the garden box and sat.

"Detective Flack's afraid of me cause I had to kill that guy," John spoke quietly, sighing as his hands began to tremble. "Grandpa, do you have any gloves on you? My hands are shaking again."

Sully silently took John's hands and gently rubbed them, "You did something incredibly brave and saved the lives of everyone in the Crime Lab," he spoke calmly. "Dennis Sackheim was a dangerous man."

"I know it was brave, but I feel bad about killing him," John spoke softly. "Does that guilt ever stop?"

Sully sighed, "You did what absolutely had to be done," he replied calmly. "Killing isn't the best solution, but there are times when it is the only solution to stop someone who is a truly dangerous person."

"How much crap am I in with NYPD and the FBI?" John asked softly. "They're investigating it."

Sully nodded, "I don't think you're in any crap and I think everyone will pretty much leave you be until the end of the semester," he replied in a kind voice. "They want you to keep up your high grades."

John sighed and yawned, "For now, though, I think you should go back to bed," Sully spoke firmly.

Nodding, John allowed his grandfather to help him up and back into the apartment, "Yelina and Nicolas must have gone back to bed," Sully replied in a calm voice as they got inside. "I'll tuck you back in and then I gotta get David and Ellie up for school. Give me your coat and shoes and I'll put them away."

John did as he was told and entered his room just in time to see David wake up, "Hi," David whispered.

"Hey," John replied as he got back into bed. "Grandpa's gonna come wake you for school soon."

David sighed, "You were up on the roof again, weren't you?" he asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"I killed someone, David," John spoke quietly. "I can't take it back and it screws up my sleep."

David frowned, "David, get up for school," Sully's voice suddenly called out. "Ellie, get up!"

* * *

 _ **Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab – Miami, Florida**_

"You asked to see me?" Robert asked as he opened his uncle's office door. "Uncle…?"

Seeing Horatio asleep on the couch with a pillow and blanket keeping him company prompted Robert to pause, "…No, please," Horatio mumbled shakily as he tensed up into a ball. "Please…don't kill me."

Robert gently placed a hand on his uncle's shoulder and Horatio shot up in terror, nearly dry-heaving as he saw his nephew standing there, "Oh, Robert, forgive me," Horatio spoke quietly. "I was resting."

"You look tired, Uncle Horatio," Robert spoke quietly as he sat on the couch. "Are you all right?"

Horatio sighed quietly, "I just wanted to know if you would like an extension on your work contract with the lab," he lied, deflecting the question. "Calleigh's going to be on medical leave for a while."

Robert frowned, but didn't say anything, "I have offered some of the shifts to Emily, but seeing that she is pregnant and the department counselor, she can only work limited shifts and Mister Wolfe is going to come back in the spring, but he wants to be in the lab for a while," Horatio spoke in a trembling voice.

There was a heavy silence, "Where have you been staying?" Robert spoke, deeply concerned by his uncle's weak voice. "I've driven by your place and it's as it was months ago. You sound lifeless…."

Horatio sighed, "At the Hyatt Regency," he spoke softly. "I haven't felt safe going back to that place…"

Robert nodded, "I'm feeling a bit rundown from lack of sleep," Horatio confessed quietly. "I keep my things in my car and pay nightly simply because I don't know how long I can stand being there."

"Why don't I take you and your things to my house and you can rest?" Robert suggested gently.

Horatio gave him a look, "You don't exactly have room for me right now," he spoke quietly.

"When Lindsey is able to come home, Catherine and Rick will be moving to a different house with her and Lenny," Robert spoke gently. "I'm not sure she is fond of me after I expressed concerns…"

Horatio sighed, "I too have concerns about that," he replied, having not heard that previously.

Robert sighed softly, "Please, Uncle Horatio, move back in with me," he spoke gently. "The boys and I would love to have you however long you need to stay. I worry about you alone at that hotel."

"Alright," Horatio replied in a quiet voice. "I keep my things in my car, so there's no need to go…"

Grateful for the intervention, Horatio got up and followed Robert from the office, both of them stopping in their tracks when they saw Catherine come off the elevator, "Ah, Robert, I just came by to return the keys you gave to Rick," she said in a tired voice. "He's at a hotel with Lenny and Lindsay right now."

"Catherine, I told you my concerns," Robert replied in a firm voice. "This isn't a good idea."

Catherine scowled as several staffers including Eric, Natalia, and Jesse came out of the labs to see what was going on, " _You_ are going to give _me_ a lecture on parenting?" she asked in a cold voice. "If you were actually a good parent who could give others parenting advice, your daughter wouldn't be dead!"

Robert froze and the entire lab went silent, everyone's eyes widening as he turned and left the lab through a fire exit door. Fury filled Natalia as she marched over and grabbed Catherine by the arm.

"That's enough!" Natalia snapped as she marched Catherine to the elevators. "It's time you left!"

Catherine pulled out of Natalia's grip and slapped her, prompting Eric to grab Catherine and handcuff her. Horatio quickly moved down the hallway and lingered at the window briefly, sighing quietly.

"Let go of me!" Catherine shouted as Eric and Jesse hauled her to the elevator. "Let go of me!"

Eric scoffed, "You're going in holding to cool off!" he snapped. "We'll call Stetler for you."

Natalia silently walked over to where Horatio was standing, "Bobby is upset," Horatio spoke softly. "I just saw him take off in his truck and I'm very concerned about him. What Catherine said…"

"She shouldn't have said it," Natalia replied angrily. "It wasn't his fault that his daughter died."

Horatio sighed, "No, it wasn't," he replied softly. "I need to call Rick and explain what happened. Natalia, will you please make sure Robert doesn't do anything drastic? I'm very concerned for him now."

* * *

 ** _Desert Palms Hospital - Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Greg?"

Blurry forms greeted Greg as he opened his eyes, "Really, Doctor Grissom, Mister Sanders is in no condition for visitors right now," an angry voice spoke. "He's got some serious recovering to do."

Greg blinked and his vision cleared, revealing Grissom and a nurse by his bed, "Greg," Grissom spoke.

"I feel like I'm floating, Gris," Greg spoke in a faint voice. "What happened to me out there?"

Grissom sighed patiently, "You were actually very lucky for being in the desert for so long," he explained in a calm voice. "Your left arm is broken, you've got a concussion, a broken nose, facial bruising, a cut forehead, broken ribs, and tubes in your lungs. You're also suffering from dehydration, sunburn, and a bit of bacterial pneumonia. The staff wants to contact your family, but they can't find a number…"

Greg sighed and coughed weakly, "It's at my place," he managed to say. "Or call Jenny; she has it."

Grissom nodded, "Greg, I know you need to rest, but Judge Stokes is here and he wants to ask you if you might know where Nick and Derek are," he spoke quietly. "We haven't been able to find them."

"What evidence is there?" Greg spoke in a quiet voice. "Can…can I get some water, please?"

Grissom watched as the nurse got Greg some water and helped him drink, "A text from Nick and Archie has been trying to ping his phone," Grissom explained softly. "Did they say anything to you?"

"Diego…he kept screaming that Warrick was going to kill Derek," Greg spoke shakily.

Suddenly, Grissom's phone buzzed and Grissom put it on speaker, "Grissom, Nick's phone is pinging," Archie spoke in an anxious voice. "I don't know where from, but it's pinging a GPS location."

Greg coughed as the call ended, "How's Jenny?" he asked weakly. "I…I hope she's safe…"

There was a silence, "I am," a quiet voice suddenly spoke, prompting Grissom to turn.

"Jenny, I thought you were going to see your parents?" Grissom asked in a shocked voice as Jenny suddenly came into the room and lingered near the bed. "The Stokes decided it would be best…"

Jenny scoffed, "I'm an adult and I took a train up here from Austin," she spoke calmly. "Greg…"

Grissom looked beyond Jenny and saw a dark-haired woman in scrubs standing with the Stokes's, "Nick's sister made me promise to go visit my parents if she brought me to visit Greg," Jenny explained, tears filling her eyes as she approached the bed and gently touched Greg's face. "Hey there…"

"Oh, your hand feels nice," Greg spoke in a tired voice, sighing as he relaxed at Jenny's touch.

Grissom silently went into the hallway, "Candace, we told Jenny it would be best to go and stay with her parents til the baby is born," Jillian Stokes spoke quietly. "Derek's no longer in Miami and not a threat."

"She's very stubborn, Mom," Candace replied in a kind voice. "Are all the Wolfes stubborn like her?"

Judge Stokes looked amused, but Jillian silently went inside the hospital room and Grissom followed to make sure Greg wouldn't feel overwhelmed, "…Greg, why are you looking at me like that?" Jenny asked in a quiet voice that was filled with concern and confusion. "Are…are you having a psychic vision?"

"Have…have you had any ultrasounds lately?" Greg asked in a weak voice. "Just out of curiosity?"

Jenny shook her head, "I think your baby will look as gorgeous as her mom," Greg whispered.

Grissom's eyes went wide, "I…I'm having a girl?" Jenny asked quietly. "Is that what you saw?"

"I'm tired," Greg spoke in a faint voice, overwhelmed by the day. "Both of you get some rest."

Jenny sighed, "Nick's parents and my parents want me to go back to Miami," she spoke in a quiet voice, gently stroking his fingers. "I want to stay with you and Nick is still out there, so is it really safe?"

"I know you want to stay, but your family misses you," Greg spoke softly. "You have to think of them."

Grissom watched as Jenny kissed Greg on his dry lips, "There's not any trains out of here for a few days," Jenny spoke in a soft voice. "I'm staying with the Stokes family at a safe hotel and I'll visit…"

"Skype," Greg spoke weakly. "I want you and your daughter to be safe. Please…Jenny…listen to me."

Jenny nodded and silently got up as Greg drifted off to sleep, allowing Grissom a chance to leave.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

The NYU science labs were not an ideal place to process evidence, but Mac would take it simply because it would be summertime before the Crime Lab would be ready for use again. The university had been understanding about their needs and had juggled students around so that the criminalists would have exclusive access to what they needed. It would do simply because it had to and that was that.

"Mac, there's someone from the FBI out in the hall," Stella said as she came into Mac's temporary office, a small classroom that was attached to the science labs. "They need to talk to you like right now."

Mac sighed as he shuffled the statements that he had gotten from everyone about what had happened on the day the lab was under siege, "Taylor, what's the deal?" Chief Sinclair said in an angry voice as he and a dark-haired woman came into the classroom. "Agent Danville here said she's already talked with John Boscorelli several times and he's cooperating, but NOBODY can get a hold of Detective Flack!"

"I assume he put in for medical leave," Mac replied calmly. "Danny's taking it til at least the summer."

Chief Sinclair scowled, "Flack didn't file papers to go on leave, but he hasn't shown up for work and has been incommunicado since the hostage incident," he hissed. "NYPD and the FBI need to talk to him."

Mac frowned, "What do you mean Flack's been incommunicado?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"We can't get a hold of him," Agent Danville replied in a quiet voice. "Do you have his address?"

Mac looked worried, "Flack's not going to like it if you go tearing over to his apartment," he replied.

Agent Danville and Stella exchanged a look, "I know he's been incommunicado and I've asked someone to handle it privately," Mac explained calmly. "This person is a fellow cop and understands the situation, so it might go smoother than if I were to sick the FBI on him. I will let you know what goes down."

Chief Sinclair scowled, but said nothing, "I trust you," he finally said firmly. "Don't let me down."

Once Chief Sinclair and Agent Danville had left, Stella took a seat, "Who did you send?" she asked.

Mac sighed, but he wasn't willing to say anything in case their conversation was overheard.

* * *

In another part of Manhattan, Flack lay in bed with his mind wide awake, but his heart in pieces over the fact that he had let John nearly die at Dennis Sackheim's hands. Ever since watching John kill the insane former FBI Agent, Flack had realized that he wasn't cut out to be a mentor or even a police officer.

Despite knowing that NYPD and the FBI wanted to talk to him, Flack had locked himself in his apartment, unplugged his phone, and had turned his cell phone off. He had spent time doing only what was necessary, but he had also spent a lot of time in bed trying to get over the depression he now felt.

As Flack lay awake, trying to dismiss his current headache and think of what he could do to remedy the guilt he felt, there was a knock at the door. Scoffing, Flack silently got out of bed and went to the door.

Peeking through the peephole, Flack was surprised and concerned to see Bosco and Ty, who was in uniform, "What do you want?" he asked in a tired voice, opening the door just a small crack.

"What I _want_ is to be at home sleeping next to my hot wife and watching my kids get ready for school," Bosco replied in a tired, irritated voice. "What I _get_ to do is come here cause Taylor asked me to."

Flack scoffed, "And you brought a uniform," he said coldly. "What, am I under arrest now?"

When there was no reply, Flack started to shut the door, but Bosco shoved it open and clung to the wall as he forced himself into the apartment, "I gotta get back in shape after this round of chemo's over," Bosco breathed anxiously. "I hope you haven't been drinking yourself stupid, Detective Flack?"

"No," Flack replied, worried that Bosco was overdoing it. "When'd you last have chemo?"

Bosco scoffed, "When'd you last go outside?" he said tiredly. "The day of the incident?"

"You weren't there," Flack replied in an angry voice. "I sat by and let your kid do something stupid…"

Ty frowned and Bosco looked surprised as Flack retreated, "How many lives did John save doing what he did?" Bosco asked in a stern voice. "Everyone but that chick who helped Sackheim take the lab hostage."

"He's 17 and he's got blood on his hands because I couldn't be a man and order him off," Flack snapped.

Bosco scoffed, "Okay, so you get to be a man and Sackheim could have shot John in the head," he replied in an upset voice, his voice trembling. "You know what? I need to sit down for a minute."

"Bosco, do you want me to go to the car and get that vitamin water?" Ty asked worriedly.

Flack looked worried, "Next time Mac Taylor wants someone to come ream you out, I'm staying home in bed," Bosco growled in a tired voice. "Davis, get me a bucket before I lose my cookies on the floor."

Ty quickly grabbed a bowl from the nearby kitchen and winced as Bosco threw up, "Look, I'm not endangering John anymore," Flack said anxiously. "I don't want John to lose his co-op, so I'm going to transfer away from Homicide until he's graduated and to a point where he can forgive me."

Bosco looked surprised, "He doesn't even blame you for what happened, you nutcase," he replied in a stern, surprised voice. "John's worried about you. You look like crap, to be honest, _Detective_ …"

"I'm not the one doing janitor work for NYPD in the middle of the night!" Flack snapped irritably.

Ty sighed and Bosco scoffed, "John works at the Crime Lab as a janitor in the evening for a couple of hours after supper and sometimes shovels snow for the precincts if they ask," Bosco explained in an irritated voice. "He's taking a break from all that stuff til the end of term, though, but Taylor's still paying him to keep on his school work. I can't work and John wanted to help out, so his mother and I let him."

Flack nodded and eyed Bosco uncertainly, as Bosco was quickly tiring, "You all right?" he asked quietly.

Bosco sighed and slowly got to his feet, "Nope," he replied tiredly. "I'm tired and I feel nauseous."

"Are you well enough to go home?" Flack asked in a worried voice. "Or is that why Davis is here?"

Bosco rubbed his eyes, "I got friends to help me when I'm down and so do you," he said. "Bye."

Flack looked thoughtful as Ty helped Bosco walk across the carpet and out of the apartment.

* * *

 ** _Coconut Grove – Miami, Florida_**

The sound of the television greeted Natalia as she knocked on Robert's front door, "Who is it?" a quiet voice suddenly asked as footsteps shuffled across the floor. "Daddy said not to let strangers in."

"It's Natalia, Adam," Natalia replied, recognizing Adam's small voice. "Can I come in?"

The door opened and Adam smiled at Natalia, "Is your dad here?" Natalia asked in a kind voice.

"Daddy's taking a nap and he told BJ to do his homework in the kitchen and told me to watch TV for a little bit," Adam spoke in a quiet voice. "Was Uncle Rick's wife yelling at him? He looked really sad."

Natalia frowned and came into the house, "I'm going to talk to your dad, okay?" she asked softly.

Adam nodded, closed the door, and locked it with Natalia's help, "Why is Daddy sad?" he asked softly.

"I'm going to find out," Natalia promised gently. "Can you keep watching cartoons for a while?"

Adam returned to the couch and Natalia went upstairs to Robert's bedroom, sighing when she heard quiet crying coming from inside, "Bobby," she spoke softly as she went into the bedroom and saw Robert lying in bed with a box of tissues at his side. "Bobby, I know you're hurt by what she said."

Robert nodded, but said nothing, "It's okay to be angry and sad about it, but what happened to Maggie wasn't your fault," Natalia spoke gently, taking his hand. "I didn't know her, but you…I know and I know that you are an amazing father who has gone through endless demons in his life. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Talia," Robert spoke in a tired voice. "What…what happened after I left the lab?"

Natalia sighed, "Catherine tried to hit me, so Delko arrested her," she replied softly. "She's in holding."

Robert sighed heavily, "Just what Lindsey needed as a homecoming present," he spoke tiredly. "Rick really pulled strings with the hospital in New York to get her home and then Catherine acts out. That is not going to go over well with the judge who agreed for Catherine to be released from the hospital."

Natalia gave Robert a confused look, "Catherine's on sort of a probationary release and Rick's got primary custody of the kids," Robert spoke quietly. "That is why I let them live with me, so they could be together and Catherine could have a controlled environment where she could be a good parent."

Sighing, Robert slowly sat up, frowning when he suddenly heard shouting downstairs, "What's that racket?" he asked in a groggy voice, getting out of bed. "I told BJ and Adam to keep the noise down."

Natalia followed Robert downstairs and was shocked to see that BJ was having a seizure in the middle of the kitchen and Adam was on the phone trying to talk while crying, "…Please, you gotta come help my brother!" Adam exclaimed tearfully. "He started breathing funny and now he's not waking up!"

Robert hurried over and took the phone from Adam just as sirens could be heard, "Come here, Adam," Natalia said as she gently picked up the terrified five year old and hugged him. "It's okay."

* * *

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

Kenwall Duquesne's words of thanks still rang in Ryan's ears as he left the emergency room after sitting with Calleigh long enough to give her father a break. Ryan felt tired, but he didn't feel safe at home.

Sighing softly, Ryan walked down the street to the bus stop to catch a bus home, as he didn't feel safe driving even though he had been medically cleared to. As he approached the bus, he heard footsteps.

"Ryan, I just wanted to thank you for sitting with Calleigh for a little while so I could get something from the cafeteria," Kenwall said in a quiet, tired voice. "I can't believe anyone would hurt my Lamb Chop."

Ryan nodded and as he tried to think of something to say, he suddenly heard a loud crack and felt pain in his leg, "Such a do-gooder," a voice hissed as a car drove up. "Just like your tramp of a sister."

Kenwall's eyes widened in horror as Ryan turned and saw a black Hummer parked there with a hand out the window that was holding a gun, "Get in, Wolfe, and I won't shoot you again," a dark voice said.

Frowning, Ryan looked down at his leg and realized that he had been shot, as a bloodstain was forming on his pantleg. He could hear Kenwall shouting and he felt himself being moved, but he was too woozy from the shock of being shot and blood loss that he had no awareness of anything that was going on.

The next thing Ryan knew, his ankles were being cuffed and he felt cold, "Where's Ray Junior?!" he heard an infuriated voice shout. "I know you saw him when you were with Ivan earlier in the year!"

"I don't know," Ryan replied in a groggy pained voice, wincing as pain shot up his leg. "My leg…"

Ray scoffed as he came into Ryan's view with a pair of plyers in hand, "Just hold still," he hissed.

Ryan, however, let out a scream of agony as he felt the bullet being pried out of his leg, "I SAID FOR YOU TO BE QUIET!" Ray roared, smacking Ryan with the pliers. "I'll let you bleed if you don't tell me where…"

"I don't remember anything!" Ryan pled anxiously. "I was given some drugs to make me forget!"

Ray scoffed and started cleaning the leg wound so roughly that Ryan tried to pull away, "Don't be stupid, Wolfe," Ray snarled. "We're in a seedy area and even if you got free, you'd be completely lost."

Ryan watched in horror as Ray held up his wallet, "Is your crappy apartment where you keep all your intel on my kid?" Ray asked in a cold voice. "I have friends who say you've been looking for my son."

When Ryan didn't reply, Ray threw the wallet on the floor, "Maybe some narcotics would loosen your tongue," he hissed in an irritated voice as he moved towards a door. "I'll be back with some drugs."

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade Crime Lab/Police Department_**

Anxious voices greeted Emily as she came down the hallway from the offices and saw a frantic looking Kenwall talking with Horatio and Tripp, "…It seems awful that such a bad thing would happen after he came by to sit with Calleigh so I could get coffee," Kenwall was saying anxiously. "Can you find him?"

"You asked to see me, Lieutenant Caine?" Emily asked in a concerned voice. "What's wrong?"

Kenwall suddenly looked worried, "Is this a good thing for her to hear?" he asked worriedly.

"Emily, Ryan went to the hospital earlier to visit Calleigh and when he came out, he was apparently shot and taken hostage by an unknown individual," Horatio spoke quietly. "Mister Duquesne witnessed it."

Emily frowned, "After Ryan was shot, I ran to my car to call 9-1-1, but he was hit with some sort of needle and dragged into a black Hummer before I could call," Kenwall spoke apologetically. "So, I got a uniformed officer to sit with Calleigh and I drove here as fast as I could without breaking the law."

Tripp and Horatio looked worried, but Emily silently got her phone out of her pocket, "I need to show you something, Horatio," she said softly, getting to Ray's text and her refusal to help. "Take a look."

Horatio silently took the phone and frowned when he saw the text from Ray and Emily's reply, "I think there should be a meeting of all the CSI's," he said in a quiet voice. "This is a very serious matter."

* * *

 ** _Manhattan, New York_**

John sighed softly as he lay in bed, too tired to do his homework or even move because every time he tried to feel normal again, he couldn't. He had only managed to eat breakfast because his grandparents had insisted and then he had gone back to bed while his grandfather took David and Ellie to school.

A knock on his bedroom door prompted John to sigh, "What?" he asked in a tired voice. "I'm sleeping."

The door opened and Danielle poked her head into the room, "You sound ill," she replied gently.

"I'm just tired," John replied in a quiet voice. "I managed to eat breakfast, but it wasn't good."

Danielle sighed and came into the room, "How's your blood sugar?" she asked in a worried voice.

John sighed, "It's not where it should be," he replied in a tired voice. "I don't know what to do."

Nodding, Danielle silently sat on the edge of the bed and proceeded to check his blood sugar herself, "It's a bit odd, but that might have to do with the fact that you haven't been getting a proper amount of sleep," she spoke firmly. "I know you go on the roof to think, but you need sleep to stay healthy."

John nodded, "Now, I want you to come rest on the hideabed couch and I'll get you some juice," Danielle spoke firmly. "You're banned from working on schoolwork today. I just want you to rest."

"I have nightmares about what happened," John spoke tiredly. "How can I get past it?"

Danielle sighed softly, "You take it one day at a time," she spoke softly. "You may not think it now, but you did a good thing and it saved a lot of lives. Now, can you walk on your own or do you need help?"

John shakily managed to get out of bed and out to the hideabed couch, managing a smile when he saw Mikey and Emily sitting in their playpen surrounded by toys, "Mom, what about Dad's other kid?" he asked, laying down on the bed. "You said that that lady got herself pregnant by hurting him."

Danielle paused, as she and Maurice had told the family about Dr. Price being pregnant because they had decided to not keep secrets and they needed to decide what to do about it, "It will probably be close to spring break when the child is born," she replied calmly. "We don't know what the gender is yet and we probably won't find out until we go down and get the baby if that's what your father wants."

John nodded, "You think he'd actually go to Miami again?" he asked softly. "He didn't like it before."

"I know he didn't," Danielle spoke quietly. "Your father is considering taking the baby into our family."

John sighed, "Where would he or she sleep?" he asked softly. "The apartment's kind of full."

"We'd figure that out," Danielle replied in a kind voice as she opened the fridge and got some juice out.

As John covered himself up with a blanket, Danielle silently got to work getting juice and taking care to be quiet because her mother and Nicholas had gone back to bed after breakfast because her father had taken David and Ellie to school while Maurice had gone to look for Detective Flack with Ty's help.

* * *

 _ **Mercy Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

"Detective Caine," Robert heard a calm voice say. "Your son is awake and is asking for you."

Nodding, Robert stood up and grabbed Adam's hand, but Natalia remained seated, "BJ will probably just want his family at first," she replied nervously. "We're not married yet, so he doesn't have to like me."

"Natalia, you're family to all of us," Robert replied, smiling at her. "Please, come and see BJ with us."

As Natalia stood up, Dr. Loman came into the waiting area, "Your son is awake and feels very tired, but he's asking for you," he said in a calm voice. "We can't seem to figure out what caused his seizure."

Robert nodded and walked alongside Natalia and Adam as they followed Dr. Loman from the waiting room to the trauma room. BJ was laying on a gurney with his eyes open and a gown and blanket covering his body, "Dad, they wanna put a tube in my nose," BJ complained in a groggy voice.

"It's called oxygen, pal, and it will help you feel better," Robert replied as he went over to a chair that was beside the gurney and sat down. "Why did you have a seizure today? Nobody can figure it out."

BJ sighed tiredly, "Aunt Catherine's a psycho like Mom was when she was alive," he replied in a tired voice. "I don't like that she lives with us and I always hear her and Uncle Rick arguing downstairs."

Robert frowned, but didn't say anything, "Hey, Adam, do you want something from the cafeteria?" Natalia asked, seeing that Robert was troubled. "I'm getting a little hungry and could use company."

Adam nodded and left the room with Natalia, "Aunt Catherine gets so angry and reminds me of when Mom used to get angry," BJ spoke in a tired voice. "I just couldn't take it anymore, Dad."

Robert nodded and ruffled BJ's hair, "I'm sorry," he spoke softly. "I should have been more aware."

"Dad, I don't want Aunt Catherine living with us anymore," BJ replied in a tired voice. "Please."

Thoroughly exhausted from the seizure, BJ drifted off into a deep sleep, "Do whatever you need to do to make BJ comfortable, Doctor Loman," Robert spoke quietly as he pulled out his phone. "Excuse me."

While Dr. Loman and nurses worked to help BJ, Robert silently sent a text to Rick saying that Catherine wasn't allowed at his home anymore because she brought too much stress and hurt to his family. He then sent a quick text to his uncle about BJ's condition and that he would need the day off.

* * *

 ** _Miami-Dade Police Department/Crime Lab_**

Horatio sighed as he read Robert's text message while waiting for all available staff to gather for the meeting. He wasn't looking forward to discussing what Ray had done, but he knew he had to do it.

Footsteps filled the air and Horatio looked up from his phone to see Tim, Eric, Jesse, Alexx, Walter, and several lab techs come into the conference room. Emily came in last and sat at the far end of the table.

"I called this staff meeting because Ryan Wolfe was abducted from the hospital after visiting Calleigh," Horatio spoke in a somber voice. "Ray texted Emily for help and she refused, so he kidnapped Ryan."

Murmuring filled the room, "We're not all here," Eric spoke. "Where's Detective Caine and Natalia?"

"Detective Caine is otherwise occupied," Horatio replied calmly, not wanting to reveal his nephew's business or issues with Catherine. "Miss Boa Vista is with him. We need to discuss a battle plan."

Emily sighed heavily, "Ray used to be heavily involved with Victims Assistance before he went rogue," she explained in a tired voice. "I know this because he was the one who rescued me after…"

Horatio's eyebrows went up, "Was Ray the one who left you in that crappy bus shelter Marisol and I found you at?" Eric asked in a confused voice. "If he was such a hero, he wouldn't have left you there."

Tim gave Emily a confused look, "My experience is not on trial here," Emily replied in a sharp voice.

"Victims Assistance," Eric spoke firmly. "Is that why you were bartending that night Calleigh and I…?"

Emily silently stood up and left the conference room because it was apparent that Eric's brain injury had triggered an inability to leave her past alone. She intended to contact Natalia in private and ask her where Ray might have taken Ryan, as it was clear that her past was affecting her colleagues thoughts and it would only detract from Horatio's meeting. She knew it was better for her to step out.

The trip outside was done in silence and Emily stepped outside just in time to see Rick help Lindsey out of a car while Lenny watched, "I'm sorry about this, kids, but you guys can sit in the police lounge and have whatever's there until I straighten this out," Rick spoke apologetically. "I really am sorry."

Rick paused at the sight of Emily, "Rick?" Emily asked. "I thought you'd be getting Lindsey settled."

"Catherine and Detective Caine got into a spat and she hit Boa Vista," Rick replied. "Delko put Catherine in holding and I got a call to come down and deal with it. I couldn't leave my children unsupervised."

Emily sighed, "Do you want me to sit with them for a bit?" she offered kindly. "I don't mind."

"Lenny, Lindsey, do you want to hang out with Detective Speedle for a bit?" Rick asked quietly before giving Emily a confused look. "I thought you'd be on duty this time of day. Do you have the time?"

Emily gave Rick a look, "Ryan was kidnapped and Horatio's holding a meeting, but I left after Delko started discussing my past," she explained calmly. "Lindsey, Lenny, do you wanna hang out with me?"

Lindsey and Lenny silently went over to her and Rick sighed as he went into the police building, relieved that he didn't share that Robert wanted Catherine out of his house. By the time Rick got down to the holding cells, his mind was troubled and he wasn't sure what he was going to do about Catherine.

"Come to bust me out, Rick?" Catherine asked as Rick approached her cell. "It's been a long day."

Rick sighed, "I'm not sure," he replied irritably. "Bobby doesn't want you at his house anymore."

Catherine frowned, "So we're just supposed to live in a hotel?" she asked in an upset voice.

Rick gave Catherine a look, "You hit Boa Vista and said some very rude stuff to Bobby about my dead niece and his ability to be a parent," he spoke sternly. "Delko put you on a 24 hour hold so you could calm down and I hope that'll be the end of it. If Boa Vista presses charges, I can't help you."

"You're head of IAB," Catherine hissed. "Are you telling me that you're going to be lawful _now_?!"

Rick scoffed, "Sackheim's dead, Catherine," he hissed. "There's no reason not to be now."

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

A seedy motel with Calleigh's car parked in front that sat beside a store; it was so obvious to Warrick that Nick and Derek were hiding in the motel. He had followed the tire treads of the car through the desert for what seemed like an eternity and he was now being rewarded with what he was seeking.

Grateful that he had kept hold of a firearm, Warrick made his way over to the room where the car was and kicked open the door. Derek was asleep in bed while Nick was watching TV with the volume on low, but Nick immediately got in front of Derek when he saw Warrick standing in the doorway with a gun.

"Warrick, man, what are you doing here with a gun?" Nick asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out both his cell-phone and the gun he had managed to keep on him. "You're wanted."

Warrick scoffed and raised the gun, "Once I kill Derek Stokes, I'll be hailed a hero," he replied coldly.

Nick responded by dialling 9-1-1, dropping the phone on the dresser, and then aiming his gun at Warrick, unaware that Derek had woken from the noise and was watching, "You don't need to kill anybody, Warrick," he spoke loudly. "This is a motel out in the middle of nowhere, so why…?"

"Derek's trash and Ray Caine warned me about him," Warrick grunted. "Let me have him, Nick."

Nick shook his head, "No, Warrick," he replied in an angry voice, tears filling his eyes. "Derek's sick."

Anxious shouting and the sound of shattering glass filled the air as both men fired their guns.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review!**_


	15. The Other Side of Personalities

_**Calle Ocho, Miami**_

Several hours had passed and Emily was now at the home she, Tim, and their children shared with Tim's parents and brother. Anthony, Rosa, and Tony were all off at the community center now and Emily was resting on the couch while James and Julliet played quietly on the floor with several of their toys.

Rick had been to see Catherine and when he had returned for Lindsey and Lenny, he had advised Emily to not worry about what the people at the Crime Lab thought of her and her past, as he would personally deal with it. Emily had then gotten a cab home and was now reflecting on her past.

"Mama, I'm sleepy," Julliet spoke in a tired voice. "Is it naptime?"

Emily smiled at Julliet, "If you want it to be naptime, it can be," she replied softly. "All right?"

Julliet nodded and began putting her toys away, but James continued to play, "Cartoons?" he asked.

"I want you to have a nap first, okay?" Emily asked as she slowly sat up. "You got up early today."

James nodded and silently lay down in the middle of the soft toys he was playing with, "I sleep here," he said in a quiet voice as Julliet went down the hallway to the bedroom they shared. "I hate dark."

Emily nodded, deeply bothered by the fact that she never knew what James had been through in his time with Bernard and was left developmentally delayed as a result, "James, why don't we go lie down in yours and Julliet's room together?" she suggested as she stood up. "You'll sleep better there."

James silently looked at Emily and nodded before pushing his toys into a pile and getting up just as Emily's cell-phone went off, "Hello?" Emily asked, quickly answering her cell. "Who is this?"

"I found Ryan's address," Ray's voice spoke in a cold tone. "He's been a very nice houseguest."

Emily froze just as Tim, who had left work early after the meeting out of concern for his wife, came through the door, "I've been trying to jumpstart his brain because he claims that he can't remember where Ray Junior is," Ray's voice spoke coldly. "Victims Assistance has lots of places to hide, Emily."

Sensing that something was wrong, Tim silently moved beside Emily so he could hear the conversation, "Warrick Brown sure wanted to be safe when he came down here," Ray spoke. "He knew that Ryan was looking for Ray Junior and told the underworld so that nobody would bother him when he was here."

There was a muffled scream and the phone went dead, "Ray must be hiding somewhere that Victims Assistance owns," Emily spoke anxiously, her hands shaking. "He…he hinted as such on the phone."

Tim sighed and gave her a gentle hug, "Delko brought up my past and now I don't think they trust me, so I'm going to excuse myself from the case," Emily spoke anxiously. "Stetler advised me to take it easy."

"I know," Tim replied softly. "Why don't you go have a lie down and I'll tell Horatio about the call?"

Emily nodded, handed Tim her phone, and took James back to the bedrooms. Tim knew that Emily was upset over Eric's outburst and knew that Eric's brain still saw Emily as she was in the past, but he couldn't ignore the inappropriateness of what had happened. Tim also knew that Horatio was unhappy with how Eric had behaved in the meeting and was going to deal with it with input from Stetler.

Sighing heavily, Tim walked over to the house phone and silently dialed Horatio's cell, " _Caine_ ," a voice said after the first dial tone, relieving Tim immensely. " _Speed, did you make it home to Emily_?"

"She's having a nap with the kids, H," Tim replied in a worried voice. "Ray called her again and I walked in during the call. Ray said he's been trying to jumpstart Ryan's brain and that Victims Assistance has lots of places to hide. Emily thinks that Ray has Ryan at one of the places that Victims Assistance owns."

There was a pause, " _Interesting_ ," Horatio replied. " _I'll look into it, Speed. Protect your family_."

Tim silently carried the phone into the bedroom that James and Julliet shared and saw that the twins were in their beds asleep and Emily was resting in a corner rocking chair with the family's therapy puppy in her lap, "I let Horatio know," Tim spoke quietly. "You might feel a lot more comfy in our bed."

"I'm going to turn down the shifts at the lab and I might go on maternity leave simply because I don't know who at the lab trusts me after Eric's outburst today," Emily spoke quietly. "I just don't know."

Tim sighed, "You being upset isn't good for you or for the baby," he spoke calmly. "Stetler will…"

"I am a little tired," Emily admitted quietly as the puppy hopped off her lap. "He needs a name."

Tim shrugged and helped Emily out of the chair, holding her close as they went to their small bedroom, "I'll make us all something to eat and you just rest," he spoke gently as he helped her lie down.

Nodding, Emily sighed and closed her eyes and Tim tucked her in before leaving the bedroom and started working in the kitchen, hoping that he could calm his anxious wife and children down.

* * *

 ** _Mercy Hospital_**

"BJ's sleeping a lot," Adam spoke in a quiet voice as he came into BJ's hospital room with Natalia at his heels and saw BJ asleep in bed with an oxygen tube in his nose and his IV in his arm while his father sat in a chair beside the bed. "How come BJ's in a new room and has all that strange stuff on him?"

Robert sighed, "BJ was moved to a room so he can spend the night here, kiddo," he replied in a tired voice, smiling at Adam and Natalia. "He's sleeping a lot because the seizure made him tired."

Adam nodded, "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you stay over and look after Adam tonight, Natalia?" Robert asked in a quiet voice. "I'm going to be here with BJ tonight because he asked me to stay."

Natalia nodded, "Is BJ gonna be okay, Daddy?" Adam asked worriedly. "Is…is he gonna die like Maggie?"

Robert and Natalia exchanged a look, "No, Adam, BJ is going to be fine with some rest," he replied in a kind voice. "And Uncle Rick and Aunt Catherine aren't going to live with us anymore, so there won't be any more fighting in the house. Aunt Catherine doesn't think that I'm a good father to you two."

Natalia scowled just as Horatio wandered into the room, "Uncle Horatio," Robert said kindly. "Hi."

"The nurse at the ER desk said BJ had been moved up to Peds," Horatio spoke in a calm voice.

Robert nodded, "I thought you'd be helping in the search for Ryan?" he asked in a kind voice. "I got a text from you saying that there was a staff meeting about it and I was invited to come, but…"

Horatio paused and looked at Natalia, "Emily mentioned that Victims Assistance owns many properties around Miami and I am wondering if Ray took Ryan to one of them," he spoke in a thoughtful voice.

"I can give you the addresses of the properties that I know about, Horatio," Natalia spoke softly.

Sensing that Natalia would rather do that in private conversation, Robert sighed, "Talia, I'm starving," he said as Adam walked over to him. "Could you please grab me something since I don't dare leave BJ?"

Deeply grateful for the excuse to talk to Horatio privately, Natalia nodded and left BJ's room with Horatio. During the conversation, she shared the addresses and Horatio put them into his phone.

As they reached the hospital cafeteria, however, Horatio noticed that Tommy Wolfe, who was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and sneakers was sitting at a corner table with his son, Jason, who was wearing jeans and a polo shirt, "…I know you like working for Doctor Woods, but I'd rather you take some time off until your uncle is found," Tommy was saying quietly. "Your mother got your brother from school…"

"Tommy?" Horatio spoke calmly, walking over to them. "I take it you heard about your brother?"

Tommy scowled at Horatio, "Tim phoned me," he replied coldly. "Why didn't the PD let us know?"

Horatio looked uncomfortable, but Natalia was at the counter and didn't notice what was going on, "I know I'm not exactly a favorite of the MDPD, Lieutenant, but Ryan is my brother and we are his next of kin along with Emily," Tommy spoke firmly. "I know how your department has treated him all along and I'm not particularly happy about it. He's been through a lot and he feels like he's alone at _your_ lab."

"Dad, they'll find him," Jason spoke anxiously, seeing that his father was upset. "They have to."

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

The desert was filled with the sound of sirens and every available police officer, CSI, and paramedic was converging on the location of seedy motel, all of them having heard the shots on the phone. Warrick Brown was now considered an enemy to the PD and would be charged once he was found.

As Grissom's truck came to a stop, he saw that one of the rooms was open and quickly got out to walk alongside Brass and other armed officers, "Slowly," Grissom said anxiously. "We don't know what…"

A strangled sob broke through the air and Grissom hurried over to the room just in time to see Warrick pass out cold near the door covered in blood. Nick was trembling anxiously and was trying to help Derek, who was lying in bed and vomiting on the floor. Bullet holes and blood decorated the walls.

"Gris, Warrick shot Derek in the leg and I don't know what to do," Nick pled, seeing his colleague.

Grissom checked Warrick and found that Warrick was sporting a gash on his forehead and a graze to the upper chest, "I…I shot Warrick," Nick breathed anxiously, tears running down his cheeks.

After motioning for paramedics to come quickly, Grissom wandered over to the bed where Derek lay, and quickly saw that the bullet wound itself wasn't bad, but that it had bled a lot, but Derek didn't look well, "He…he's diabetic," Nick spoke in a trembling voice. "I didn't want anything to happen to him."

Grissom nodded and Derek finally stopped vomiting, "Nick," Derek breathed. "I can't breathe…"

As paramedics moved close to the bed, Grissom gently pulled Nick out of the way, "Gris, he wasn't responsible," Nick spoke in a shaking voice. "He stole to pay for medicine that he needed…"

It was then that Grissom noticed that Nick was holding his side, "Gris, I can't leave Derek cause he's sick and he needs a hospital," Nick pled, his voice shaking. "He's gonna die if he's dragged off to jail…"

"Your father handled it," Grissom spoke quietly, reaching for Nick. "What exactly happened here, Nick?"

Nick struggled to stop shaking, "Warrick…Warrick broke in and wanted to shoot, but I protected Derek and pulled my gun out," he explained in a trembling voice. "We both shot and it's all a blur after that…"

Grissom nodded just as Sofia and Brass came into the room, "Oh, my…" Sofia spoke anxiously.

"Work around the paramedics," Grissom instructed. "Get what you can off of Derek first…"

Sofia nodded and slowly approached Derek, who was struggling not to have a full blown anxiety attack, "Come on, Nicky," Grissom spoke calmly. "I'll process you outside. Your dad sent some clean clothes."

Suddenly, Derek passed out and Grissom hustled Nick outside, both of them gingerly stepping over the unconscious Warrick, "Oh boy, Nicky, what happened?" Brass asked, gaping at the young CSI.

Nick shook his head, not wanting to discuss that yet, "I need to sit down," he breathed anxiously.

Grissom silently watched as Nick sat in a rustic looking chair that was near the door and began to shakily remove his shoes and socks, prompting a dayshift CSI to bring a pack of evidence collecting items over to him. As Nick stripped, Grissom grabbed the clothes from his truck that Judge Stokes had sent along and cringed at seeing a bullet wound in Nick's ribs and another on his collarbone along with bruises.

"What did Brown DO to you?!" Brass shouted anxiously, his eyes wide as he gaped at Nick's wounds.

Nick didn't offer a reply as he slowly stood up and put on the underwear, pants, and sandals that Grissom offered him, "Nicky," a muffled voice suddenly broke through the air. "Nick…"

Nick turned just in time to see Warrick stir in the doorway, but he was too physically and emotionally exhausted to react, "Don't do anything, Warrick," Brass said, taking out his gun and aiming it at Warrick.

Before Warrick could react, two uniforms hurried over and dragged him to his feet, "If you arrest me, than Ryan Wolfe dies," Warrick spoke in a low voice. "Ray Caine's probably got him by now."

Grissom and Brass exchanged a concerned look and Grissom got his phone out to contact Miami.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

"...John, you need to wake up and get dressed," John heard Yelina's soft voice ask. "Right now."

John, who had fallen asleep on the hideabed after having juice and something to eat, woke and saw his grandmother standing by the bed, "Your mother got a call from the Crime Lab and someone from the FBI wants to talk to you," Yelina spoke kindly. "If you don't feel up to it, they can do it another day."

"I'm okay," John lied as he got up and made the hideabed. "What kind of clothes should I wear?"

Yelina smiled, "You should relax and dress like you would going to class," she replied in a kind voice.

"It's the FBI, though," John spoke anxiously. "I…I killed one of their rogue agents and I'm scared."

Yelina silently gave John a hug, "You'll be fine," she replied softly. "Now, hurry and get dressed."

John obeyed and as he went to his room, the front door opened and Bosco came into the apartment with Ty at his side, "Hey," Bosco said in a tired voice. "Davis, thanks for getting me back here."

"Danielle is in your bedroom dressing and John is also getting dressed," Yelina spoke in a calm voice. "My John took Nicolas for a walk and Michael and Emily are napping. The FBI want to talk to John."

Bosco sighed and pressed his hand against his forehead, "Um, Bosco, you should probably drink some juice and go to bed or call your doctor," Ty spoke anxiously. "He, um, threw up on the drive back."

Yelina nodded, her expression worried, "The chemo's almost done," Bosco said dismissively. "I have to get well so I can go to Florida by the time my other kid's born. I can't punish a baby for what happened."

Ty frowned in confusion, "That's right, Davis, that chick who raped me got pregnant," Bosco snapped, still irritated at Flack's crappy attitude. "I know it was in the papers, so don't look so surprised."

"That you were raped, yes, but not that she got pregnant," Ty replied anxiously. "Are you okay?"

Bosco scoffed, "Between Flack's crap attitude and this whole situation, I'm just needing some rest," he snapped, sighing irritably as he walked off to the master bedroom, went inside, and shut the door.

Having overheard the comment about Flack, John, who was now wearing appropriate clothes, glared at Ty, "You dragged my dad to see Detective Flack?" he asked sharply. "Knowing how his health is?"

Ty swallowed hard, "Detective Taylor asked your dad to go find Detective Flack because he's been avoiding work and everyone's attempt to contact him," he replied anxiously. "I didn't drag him."

Before John could reply, Danielle came out of the bedroom wearing casual clothing, "Ready to go?" she asked in a kind voice, frowning when she saw John's upset expression. "What happened?"

"Uh, Detective Flack didn't respond too well to us," Ty spoke anxiously. "John knows."

Danielle sighed, "Maurice has taken some ibuprofen with water and is now in bed," she replied softly.

"I gotta get back to work," Ty said calmly. "I'm doing training since Finney is busy with NYU stuff."

Nodding, Danielle put an arm around John, "Take your time with this," Yelina spoke in a kind voice, deeply bothered by Flack's apathy. "Michael and Emily will be just fine til you get back."

"I'll walk you guys down to your car," Ty offered calmly. "I'm going that way anyway."

* * *

 ** _Science Labs - New York University_**

Nearly an hour later after getting through traffic and parking, Danielle led John into the rooms that served as the temporary evidence labs and saw a few lab personnel working along with Adam and Lindsay, "Hi!" Lindsay said in a warm voice, smiling at them. "How are you healing up, John?"

"I'm working on it," John replied, gesturing to his walking cast. "How…how's Detective Messer?"

Lindsay smiled, "He's in therapy and he's doing well," she replied softly. "I took your advice."

Danielle gave John a look, "Danny and I are dating now," Lindsay explained. "Thank you."

John nodded, but didn't say anything because he wasn't sure who knew about the FBI's visit, "I think Mac's waiting for you in his office," Lindsay said quietly. "I'll tell Danny that you asked about him."

Offering a small smile, John silently followed his mother to Mac's temporary office and sighed when he saw a familiar dark-haired woman standing in Mac's office with Mac and Chief Sinclair, "Agent Danville, right?" John asked, racking his memory. "My mom said you wanted to talk?"

Agent Danville nodded, "If this is about Detective Flack, ma'am, I have no idea what he's up to except that he didn't care that my father endangered his health to check on him," John spoke coldly.

Mac's eyes widened in surprise and Danielle gently placed a hand on John's arm, prompting him to calm down a bit, "Um, did Agent Sackheim and that other lady get buried?" John asked in a worried voice.

Agent Danville looked surprised, but Mac shook his head, "Sackheim had no family and Juliana Morrison's body has not been claimed," he explained. "The investigation is ongoing."

"Why did they do it?" John asked quietly, taking a seat. "Why attack a Crime Lab?"

Chief Sinclair shrugged, "All of the evidence is still being analyzed," he replied patiently. "Your NYU advisor, Sergeant Finney, says that your coursework has continued to be exemplary despite this."

"Yes sir," John replied in a quiet voice. "My parents have always said education is important."

Mac looked pleased, "I just wanted to see how you're holding up," Agent Danville spoke calmly, smiling at John and Danielle. "This was a very complicated situation and the investigation could take a while."

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"… _What do you mean Greg checked himself out?! He was supposed to stay and rest."_

" _A Doctor Candace Stokes checked Mister Sanders out at his request and we authorized it…"_

The sound of voices and soft beeping filled Nick's ears and he opened his eyes to see himself staring at a white ceiling, " _I don't think Greg knows the whole story or he wouldn't have left_ ," Grissom's voice said.

Confused as to where he was, Nick moved his arms and found them to be heavy. There was a gasp, a clang, and Nick suddenly found himself staring at Grissom and a surprised looking ER nurse.

"Easy, Nick," Grissom said calmly, looking worried. "You're in the emergency room at Desert Palm."

Nick frowned, "You passed out at the motel," Grissom spoke calmly. "You've got some broken ribs."

"Warrick and I fought," Nick admitted shakily, gazing down and seeing that he was in a hospital gown.

Grissom nodded, "Warrick's been treated and he's in a holding cell at the Crime Lab because nobody will process him," he replied calmly. "Your parents are here, but they are with your brother upstairs."

"Derek's…alive?" Nick asked in a trembling voice. "He looked so bad in the motel room that I…"

Grissom sighed, "You feeding him and taking care of him was a big help," he replied softly.

"Gris, he won't survive in jail," Nick spoke shakily. "He's got diabetes and he got really sick."

Grissom silently put a hand on Nick's arm, "Your parents will see that Derek is well taken care of," he explained in a quiet, but firm voice. "I want you to rest until you're allowed to leave the hospital."

Nick paused, "You said Greg left?" he asked in a tired voice, beginning to wear out. "Is he okay?"

"He called your sister to come get him and she's in town with Jenny, so Greg is just fine and under medical supervision," Grissom replied calmly, taking a seat. "I want you to go to sleep now."

Deeply troubled about the situation and what Grissom told him, Nick slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 ** _Miami, Florida_**

Armed with addresses of all the places where Ray could be hiding and hurting Ryan, Horatio maneuvered his Hummer down the road towards the lab. He would put the addresses into the computer and send people to check each one, not intending to rest until Ryan was found simply because he now understood how Ryan's abduction was affecting his family and how it affected everyone else.

The sight of a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder prompted Horatio to quickly pull over and he frowned when he saw a man kneeling in the grass, "Sir?" he called out. "Sir…are you all right?"

There was silence and Horatio frowned when he saw that it was Rick kneeling in the grass, "Rick, what are you doing here?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I would have thought you would be with your…"

"I managed to get Catherine out and she is at the hotel with our kids, but she told me to get our crap out of Robert's house and be done with him," Rick explained in a tired voice. "I haven't eaten well in a couple of days, however, and I started feeling shaky behind the wheel. I pulled over to avoid trouble."

Horatio nodded, "Do you need an ambulance?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I can call one."

Despite the fact that Catherine and his children were waiting for him to get their things so they could find a home and truly start over, Rick was truly spent and nodded before gagging. Horatio got on his radio and called for help before he knelt down next to Rick to try and see how badly off he was.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

Sighing heavily, Flack silently made his way into the makeshift Crime Lab and frowned when he heard voices coming from Mac's temporary office, including John's. Anxiety filled the detective as he sat down and remained sitting as the office door opened and Mac, a dark-haired woman, Danielle, Chief Sinclair, and John came out. Chief Sinclair glared at him and Mac looked bewildered, but everyone kept silent.

"You must be Detective Flack," Agent Danville spoke calmly. "I've been wanting to talk to you."

John looked at his mother, "Mom, I need to walk down to the library and check some of my grades online," he spoke quietly, not wanting to make Flack uncomfortable. "Can I go down there?"

Danielle nodded and John silently left with his head down, "Detective Flack, let's take a walk," Agent Danville said in a calm voice, offering a smile. "Even FBI Agents have to eat and I'm famished."

Deeply relieved that he wouldn't have to talk about his side of the story in front of his colleagues or John's mother, Flack nodded and followed Agent Danville out of the room, "Flack blames himself for what happened, doesn't he?" Danielle asked softly. "John says that Flack hasn't been talking at all."

Mac nodded, "Mrs. Boscorelli, how is your husband doing?" Chief Sinclair cut in, not wanting to talk about Flack at all at the moment. "NYPD's been talking and we're not sure it would be a good idea for him to be on the street in Bed-Stuy anymore because of his health, but we're more than willing to offer him a promotion to a desk and a good raise to go with it. Could you mention it to him?"

"You should talk to Maurice yourself," Danielle replied softly. "I know he's at home right now."

Nodding, Chief Sinclair smiled at Danielle and left the office, "Mrs. Boscorelli, I'm just curious, do you know of a Warrick Brown in Las Vegas?" Mac asked quietly. "John said you used to live there."

"What about Warrick?" Danielle asked worriedly. "I was an office person at the Crime Lab in Vegas a long time ago and my boss helped me to get a degree because he said I could get a better job with it."

Mac sighed, "Every time someone in law enforcement gets arrested for a serious crime, all Crime Labs and law enforcement agencies are alerted to it," he explained grimly. "Warrick Brown was arrested earlier today for the attempted murder of Nick and Derek Stokes and Miami has also laid charges on him for attempted assault and rape of a police officer. He's currently being held at the Vegas Crime Lab."

Danielle's eyes widened, "Please don't tell John about it," she replied anxiously. "He used to babysit John, David, and Ellie sometimes so I could work, do school, or hang out with friends from the lab."

Mac nodded, but didn't speak, "Nick Stokes sacrificed a great deal to rescue my family and I when my ex found us and tried to hurt us," Danielle continued softly. "I can't believe Warrick would try to kill him."

"I can keep you informed as information is made available," Mac offered in a concerned voice.

Nodding, Danielle silently left the office to find John and talk to him about heading back home.

* * *

 _ **Mercy Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

"Dad?"

Robert silently looked at the bed and saw that BJ was awake, "Can we go home?" BJ asked tiredly.

"The hospital wants to keep you overnight, kiddo," Robert replied softly. "Natalia and Adam went home to get some things for you and for me because I'm going to stay with you. I know you hate hospitals."

BJ sighed softly, "I was kind of asleep when you were on the phone and I heard you tell Uncle Rick to leave," he spoke in a tired voice. "Dad, Aunt Catherine hit me a couple times…I was scared to tell."

"Hit you?" Robert asked in a concerned voice, quickly sitting on the edge of the bed. "When?"

BJ sighed and huddled against his father, "She said I was a bad influence on Lenny and slapped me a few times," he spoke in a tired voice, suddenly feeling anxiety as he spoke. "Please…don't tell her I told you."

"Take a deep breath," Robert spoke softly, sensing BJ's anxiety. "Why were you scared to tell?"

BJ suddenly whimpered and keeled over, "My ribs hurt," he spoke softly. "I hit the counter..."

"When was this?" Robert asked in a concerned voice. "They've been in New York for a few days."

BJ sighed, "Aunt Catherine and Uncle Rick were mad at each other right before they left and she came to get us from Mrs. Speedle's and saw that we were playing video games," he replied softly. "We got home and she yelled at Lenny to go read a book or do something that wouldn't rot his brain and yelled at me for making him dumb. I ignored her and went into the kitchen for a snack, but she followed me."

It was then that Robert noticed his uncle lingering in the doorway and his expression indicated that he had heard every word, "Adam said I walked funny, but I told him not to tell," BJ spoke softly.

Robert paled, as he hadn't noticed BJ's injury and knew that BJ was very good at hiding injuries from when Amanda was alive, "Bobby, it's not your fault," Horatio spoke firmly. "We…we should talk."

"Aunt Catherine was sad about Lindsey," BJ spoke softly. "Please don't get her in trouble, Dad…"

Robert sighed softly, "You let me deal with it," he spoke softly. "I will get a doctor in here for you."

BJ nodded and stayed quiet as a female doctor came in, listening intently as his father explained what had happened prior to the seizure, "May I take a look?" she asked in a kind voice, looking at BJ.

Nodding, BJ lifted his gown and Robert paled at the sight of bad bruising, "Nothing feels broken," the doctor spoke in a kind voice. "The seizure may have aggravated the injury, though."

BJ yawned, "I'll get your son some pain medication," the doctor replied. "Do you want to file a report?"

"No, I'm a police officer," Robert spoke calmly. "I'd prefer to handle the situation privately."

Nodding, the doctor left and BJ fell back asleep, "Bobby, I can sit with BJ for a while," Horatio spoke quietly, giving his nephew a look. "Rick is in the emergency room and you're his contact."

Bewildered, Robert nodded and got up, sighing as he left the room and walked through the hospital to the emergency room. He was shocked to see Rick laying on a gurney in an exam room in his work clothes while the doctor that had helped Bosco in the summer hooked up an IV to Rick's right arm.

"Rick?" Robert spoke in a concerned voice as he entered the room. "I heard you were here."

Rick sighed groggily, "I haven't been eating much or well in the last few days in New York or here," he explained in a tired voice. "I've been running myself ragged and I had to pull over to puke."

"I would have thought your wife would have made sure you were taking care of yourself," Robert replied in a firm voice. "There are plenty of places in New York that serve good, healthy food."

Rick shrugged, "Lindsey didn't want to be alone with her mother, so I was at the hospital a lot," he spoke in a tired voice. "Catherine asked me to get our stuff from your house, but I'm not feeling well."

"And you probably won't be for at least a day," Dr. Montoyan spoke calmly. "I'm admitting you."

Robert frowned, "Catherine wants to move back to Vegas, but I hated it there," Rick mused softly.

"Look, Rick, don't worry about any of that now," Robert replied calmly, not wanting to share that he had to talk to Catherine about her slapping BJ. "Just get some rest and I'll let her know you're here."

Rick closed his eyes and Robert silently left the room, intending to quietly deal with the situation in such a way that he could stay with BJ and also make sure that Catherine was taking care of her kids.

* * *

 _ **Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Grissom, I'm fine," Nick protested in a weak voice as he sat on the edge of the gurney where he had taken a brief, restless sleep before waking. "I just want to go see Derek and then go home."

Grissom, who had been alerted by the nurse to Nick's desire to leave, sighed, "Derek's in no shape for visitors and you can't go home unsupervised," he replied firmly. "You're a mess right now."

"It's been a very long few days and I had a friend try to kill me," Nick spoke warily. "Between what happened to me several years ago and this, I might just put in for a vacation like right away."

Realizing that he hadn't had a chance to mention Juliana or Parker, Grissom swallowed hard, "Nick, there's something you should know," he spoke softly. "Juliana Morrison was killed in New York not too long ago when her and FBI Agent Dennis Sackheim took the Crime Lab hostage and shot people."

Nick nodded, his expression grim, "She…she had a nearly five year old son," Grissom spoke quietly. "I met them when I was in New York and he's being raised by Juliana's mother, but he looks like you…"

"What?" Nick breathed, his voice anxious and quiet as he gazed at Grissom. "Are you sure?"

Grissom shrugged, "He looks a lot like you, but you can get a DNA test to be sure," he replied softly.

Nick nodded, but didn't say anything because he really didn't know what to do and at the same time, he didn't want to punish a helpless child for what his mother had done, "If you want to meet Parker, I can call Juliana's mother in New York and she'll bring him out here," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice.

"Parker?" Nick mused in a trembling voice. "That…that's my middle name. She…she named him…"

Overwhelmed, Nick started crying quietly just as Jillian Stokes came into the room, "Nicolas?" she asked softly, concerned and bewildered at his crying. "Nicolas, are you feeling all right? What's going on?"

While Nick continued to cry, Jillian hugged him and Grissom did his best to explain things to her.

* * *

 _ **Manhattan, New York**_

Prickles ran up and down John's arm, prompting him to wake up and realize that he was at home in his bed and not strapped to the table in Miami's Devil's Mansion getting heroin forced on him. After waking in the hospital back in New York, John had been told that the heroin would leave damage for a time, but his memories would eventually return. The incident at the lab had definitely triggered them.

Sighing heavily, John silently opened the drawer of his bedside table and took out the journal he had been given after what happened in Miami to write in just in case he started remembering things. He had been able to remember being raped at least once, but everything else had been a blur to him. While he had been in the university library earlier, he had begun to remember more of his horrible stay. He wrote his memories and feelings down quickly before returning the journal to its place in the drawer.

Now that he was home and resting at his parents' insistence, John found himself reflecting and it made him feel uncomfortable. Flack's expression when they saw each other at the lab reminded John of Doc's expression the last time he had seen Doc alive. It had been a look of concern, guilt, and despair.

Realizing that trying to rest was futile, John got out of bed and went into the front room, sighing when he saw that his father was sitting on the couch watching sports while holding Michael and Emily and his grandfather was sitting in a chair with Nicolas in his lap, "Hey, did you enjoy your nap?" Sully asked.

"I'm starting to remember stuff," John spoke quietly. "I…I wrote it down in that journal."

Sully nodded and Bosco sighed, "Sit down and relax for a bit," Bosco said softly. "It'll help."

John silently sat down on the couch, "Your mom's off getting David and Ellie from school and Yelina went along because your mother doesn't enjoy going anywhere by herself often," Bosco spoke in a calm voice, gazing at him. "While you were resting, Chief Sinclair came by and we talked. The NYPD doesn't want me on the street anymore, but they think I can do some good at a desk in a Manhattan precinct when I'm done chemo and strong enough to work. It could go into effect by the fall."

"Are you gonna take it, Dad?" John asked softly as Michael started to fuss at the noise on the TV.

Bosco shrugged and sighed before turning the sound down on the TV, "Mikey, do you not like loud noises?" he asked softly, deeply confused when he saw that Emily had fallen asleep on his arm. "Why doesn't the noise bother your sister at all while you were screaming your head off? That's weird."

Sully looked worried, "They were premature," he spoke quietly. "That might have caused issues."

Bosco frowned, "John, can you take Mikey?" he asked quietly. "Do the twins have a doctor?"

"The number's on the fridge," Sully replied, remembering that Bosco had been recovering down in Miami when the twins had been born prematurely. "If you need to take her, do you need a cab?"

Bosco sighed heavily as Emily woke and looked at him, "Can you not hear me, Emily?" he asked softly.

Seeing her father's face prompted Emily to smile and babble, "I think I'd better see if I can get her in," Bosco said in a worried voice, his anxiety growing as he got up and went over to the kitchen phone with Emily in his arms. "I wasn't here to know what they got when they were born, so I have no idea…"

Anxiety filled Bosco as he quickly made a doctor's appointment with Emily for that afternoon, "I have to hustle if we're going to make it on time," he said anxiously. "Emily, we're gonna go to the doctor."

Sensing he was going to be left behind, Mikey started wailing, but John gently kissed his forehead and put on a cartoon movie, "Shh," he spoke gently. "I might feed you pudding when Dad leaves."

Michael giggled and Bosco sighed anxiously, "I've never taken either of them to the doctor alone before," he said in an anxious voice. "I guess I need your coat and diaper bag, don't I, Emmy?"

"Do you want me to come with you or do you want me to call your mom?" Sully offered kindly.

Bosco looked worried, "Ma's working," he replied anxiously. "The doctor's just down the street."

"Dad, I can come with you and I'll look after Mikey," John offered softly. "I don't mind."

Sully gave Bosco a fatherly look and Bosco sighed, "All right," he replied. "Get ready to go."

Soon enough, Bosco and John were walking into the doctor's office with John pushing Emily and Michael in the stroller while Bosco walked alongside them. The office was empty except for the receptionist.

John took a seat with Michael and the stroller while Bosco got Emily and took her over to the receptionist, "…The doctor will see you right away," he heard the receptionist tell his father.

Less than half an hour later, Bosco and John were back at the apartment with the twins and by that time, Danielle and Yelina had gotten home with David and Ellie, "Danni, we gotta talk in private," Bosco said in a quiet voice. "David, Ellie, sit at the table and do your homework right now, please."

Nicolas reached for Yelina and Sully sighed, knowing that Bosco had found something out that he wasn't pleased about. John sat on the couch with Michael and Emily and some books to keep them occupied.

"Maurice?" Danielle asked as they went into their room and closed the door. "Dad said Emily was…"

Bosco sighed as he sat on the bed and got the appointment paper out of his pocket, "Mikey is super sensitive to loud sounds and the doctor thinks Emily might have hearing problems," he explained in a tired voice, offering the paper to Danielle. "The twins have an appointment with a very good pediatric audiologist in a few days and I know it'll be expensive, but maybe I can work while I'm still doing…"

"I…I expected this," Danielle spoke softly, studying the paper. "They were both premature."

Bosco sighed heavily, "I have to lie down," he spoke tiredly. "I'm glad John went with me today."

"We'll make it work with the audiologist," Danielle replied softly. "I have a degree from the University of Las Vegas because Grissom thought it would be a good idea for me to get some further education."

Bosco nodded, "It's a Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences," Danielle spoke softly as Maurice lay down in their bed. "I had started college here, but it didn't work and I had to work to feed my babies. Grissom helped me and paid for the education, but he made me swear never to tell about his help in it."

"We'll work it out," Bosco spoke tiredly. "Are you all right? You looked a little sad earlier today."

Danielle sighed softly, "One of the guys in the Crime Lab in Vegas that I used to work with got himself into some pretty bad trouble and Detective Taylor told me when we were there talking to him and Agent Danville," she replied in a sad voice. "The guy used to babysit the kids, so yeah, I'm upset."

Bosco replied by gently pulling his wife down on the bed beside him and holding her in his arms.

* * *

 ** _Warehouse District – Miami, Florida_**

"….Ray!" Ray heard a voice call out as he prepared a needle of drugs to give Ryan in hopes that it would revive his memory of Ray Junior was. "Ray Caine, I know you hide in here, amigo! Open the door!"

Cursing, as Clavo had been keeping an annoyingly close eye on him and felt he had the right to because he was supplying a steady diet of narcotics, Ray set the syringe on the table and went over to the front door, "What is it, Clavo?" Ray hissed as he opened the door and saw Clavo. "I'm kind of busy here."

Clavo didn't speak and Ray reluctantly let him in just as a weak, muffled cry filled the air, "What's going on?" Clavo asked as he shut the door. "If I interrupted you entertaining someone, I do apologize…"

Scoffing, Ray collected the syringe and moved into the back room where a battered Ryan was cuffed to old pipes by his ankles, "Woah!" Clavo exclaimed as he came in and saw Ryan. "You have a COP?!"

Ray swore, "Officer Wolfe has seen Ray Junior and won't tell me where he is because he claims he can't remember!" he snapped in an angry voice. "Keeps blubbering about how he was drugged and tortured."

Clavo eyed Ryan and his eyes suddenly widened, "You're friends with that paramedic in New York who murdered Bernie," he said in a shocked voice. "I remember that Carlos guy talking about you while Dimitri drugged him to the gills. Carlos said that his friend Ryan would find him and help him."

Ray looked amused, "Wolfe's beaten and drugged body would make an awesome present for Carlos," Clavo said in a dark voice. "Ray, I got connections who can probably help you find your kid alive."

"Yeah, like I have money to drag this pansy up to New York," Ray hissed as he readied the syringe.

Clavo hooted, "I've got money, but Ryan here doesn't look ready to be sent up to New York," he said as he walked over to Ryan and glared at him. "Your friend killed Bernard and now you're gonna _pay_."

"Bernard asked him to!" Ryan pled anxiously. "It was in all the papers and he…he told me!"

Clavo swore, "I hope you like being sent across country like a package, Wolfe," he snarled.

* * *

 ** _Please read and review!_**

 **This is the end of _Moving Forward, Looking Backward_ , but the story does not end here!**

 **The next story in the series is called _Dreams and Nightmares_ and it will resolve some of the storylines in this fic, but it will also create new ones.**


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